Who is Liza Todd, the sculptor who grew up as the daughter of one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood history, yet chose a quiet life in art instead of a life on screen? Liza Todd is an American sculptor, the only child of actress Elizabeth Taylor and film producer Mike Todd, and an artist best known for bronze sculptures of horses and other animals.
This Liza Todd sculptor biography covers the publicly known facts about her life, family, art training, career, marriage, sons, and wildlife work. It also separates what is documented from what is simply not public, including her personal wealth and current home, so readers are not misled by guesswork presented as fact.
Key Takeaways: Liza Todd, full name Elizabeth Frances Todd, was born on August 6, 1957, to Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd. Her father died in a plane crash in 1958, when she was still a baby, and she was later adopted by actor Richard Burton. She trained at Hornsey College of Art in London and the Otis Institute in Los Angeles, became a sculptor known for bronze horses and animal subjects, married artist Hap Tivey in 1984, and is the mother of Quinn Tivey and Rhys Tivey. Her net worth is not publicly disclosed.
Who Is Liza Todd, the Sculptor?
Liza Todd is an American sculptor and the daughter of Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd. She was born Elizabeth Frances Todd on August 6, 1957. That family connection explains why her name still appears in celebrity coverage, but her own career was built away from film sets, in studios and through private commissions rather than in front of a camera.
Unlike many children of famous parents, Liza Todd did not try to repeat her mother’s acting career. She studied art, developed a practice in sculpture, and became especially associated with horses. Over time, her animal subjects widened to include wildlife, and her later work became linked with conservation projects in South Africa.
A common search question is Liza Todd’s sculptor age. She is 69 in 2026, because she turned 69 on August 6, 2026. She is often listed in art records as Liza Todd-Tivey, reflecting her former marriage to artist Hap Tivey, but Liza Todd remains the name most readers know her by.
What Are the Key Facts About Liza Todd?
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Elizabeth Frances Todd |
| Known as | Liza Todd, also listed as Liza Todd-Tivey |
| Date of birth | August 6, 1957 |
| Age in 2026 | 69 |
| Nationality | American |
| Mother | Elizabeth Taylor, actress |
| Father | Mike Todd, theatrical and film producer |
| Adoptive father | Richard Burton, actor |
| Siblings | Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, and Maria Burton |
| Education | Hornsey College of Art, London, and Otis Institute, Los Angeles |
| Profession | Sculptor |
| Former husband | Hap Tivey, married 1984 to 2003 |
| Children | Quinn Tivey and Rhys Tivey |
| Known for | Bronze horse and animal sculpture, and wildlife conservation art projects |
| Net worth | Not publicly disclosed |
| Current residence | Not publicly confirmed |
What Was Liza Todd’s Early Life Like?
Liza Todd’s early life was shaped by fame, travel, and tragedy. She was born in 1957, when her mother was already one of the best known actresses in the world. Reports from the time said she was delivered by cesarean section and weighed 4 pounds, 14 ounces. Part of her childhood was spent at a private school in Gstaad, Switzerland, and Taylor is reported to have taken steps to protect her children from unwanted press attention.
Her parents were major figures in different fields. Elizabeth Taylor became famous for films such as Cleopatra, Giant, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Mike Todd was a successful American theatrical and film producer. He and Taylor married in Acapulco, Mexico, in February 1957, several months before Liza was born, and Liza was the only child they had together.
Mike Todd died in a plane crash on March 22, 1958, when Liza was still an infant. His private plane, named Liz after Elizabeth Taylor, crashed near Grants, New Mexico, and Todd and the other people aboard were killed. Taylor had reportedly planned to travel with her husband but stayed home because she was ill, so Liza grew up without the chance to know her biological father.
Was Liza Todd Adopted by Richard Burton?
Yes. Elizabeth Taylor married Welsh actor Richard Burton in 1964, after the two became involved while working together on Cleopatra. Burton later adopted Liza, and he also helped complete the adoption of Taylor’s youngest daughter, Maria. Liza remained connected to Burton in later life, and in March 2013 she attended the ceremony honoring him with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The adoption helps explain a detail that sometimes confuses readers. Although Mike Todd was her biological father, Burton was the father figure present during much of her childhood, and some older accounts describe Liza as having thought of Burton as her true father figure while growing up. Both facts can be true at once: her parentage is a matter of record, and her lived family life included Burton as an adoptive parent.
Who Are Liza Todd’s Siblings?
Liza Todd is one of Elizabeth Taylor’s four children. Her older half-brothers, Michael Wilding Jr. and Christopher Wilding, were born during Taylor’s marriage to British actor Michael Wilding. Michael Jr. briefly worked as an actor before becoming a sculptor himself, while Christopher worked behind the scenes in entertainment as a photographer and sound editor. Her younger sister, Maria Burton, was adopted by Taylor and later by Burton, and has generally maintained a private life.
Where Did Liza Todd Study Art?
Liza Todd showed an interest in art rather than acting from an early age. She studied at Hornsey College of Art in London and later attended the Otis Institute in Los Angeles, completing her art studies around 1979 according to reports. She took part in some school productions and has been linked to a small appearance in the 1969 film Anne of the Thousand Days, but acting never became her main career. Sculpture did, and that choice defined her adult working life.
What Is Liza Todd’s Career as a Sculptor?
Liza Todd’s sculptor career began after she finished her studies, and horses quickly became an important subject. She created equestrian bronze sculptures and reportedly received private commissions from owners of purebred racing horses. Art and auction listings name her bronze models of famous race horses, including Nashua and Northern Dancer, and also Seattle Slew.
One notable mark of recognition is her inclusion, alongside John Skeaping, as one of only two modern sculptors included in John Fairley’s book Great Race Horses in Art, first published in 1984. That detail places her work inside the history of equestrian art, not only inside celebrity coverage, and shows that her sculpture was noticed by people who study race horses in art.
Her work was not limited to horses. Reports have connected her to a life-size bronze calf created for the Swiss village of Gstaad, and to a life-size rescue dog sculpture connected to the September 11 attacks, which some accounts place at Farmingdale State College on Long Island. She also reportedly collaborated with her mother on a jewelry line, a shared creative project even though their careers took different paths. Elizabeth Taylor died from congestive heart failure on March 23, 2011, at age 79.
How Is Liza Todd Connected to Wildlife Conservation?
Animals have remained central to Liza Todd’s work, and in later years that interest became more clearly connected to conservation. Around 2016, she reportedly began focusing more on African wildlife, particularly elephants, and her work became connected with HERD, an elephant orphanage in South Africa. In 2019, reports said she began producing Rescue Scarves using designs based on her animal artwork, including work associated with the exhibition From Line to Form: The Jabulani Elephants, with profits reportedly directed toward supporting endangered animals in South Africa.
Who Was Liza Todd Married To?
Liza Todd married artist and teacher Hap Tivey in 1984. During their marriage, the couple welcomed two sons. Liza and Hap divorced in 2003, and reports have described their relationship after divorce as amicable, saying they continued living near each other in upstate New York. There is no reliable public information showing that Liza remarried, which is also why art listings sometimes use the name Liza Todd-Tivey.
Who Are Liza Todd’s Sons?
- Quinn Tivey, born in 1986, studied at the School of Visual Arts and earned a Master of Fine Arts degree. He has worked behind the scenes on film and television productions, has been involved with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, and in 2016 became a co-trustee of his grandmother’s estate.
- Rhys Tivey, born in 1990, studied jazz performance at NYU Steinhardt and became a trumpeter, singer, and songwriter. He has also worked as a yoga teacher, supported environmental causes, and served as an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
Where Is Liza Todd Today?
Liza Todd has spent much of her adult life outside the public spotlight. Older reports have placed her in upstate New York, including around Hudson, several hours from Manhattan, but her current residence has not been publicly confirmed, and she does not appear to maintain a prominent verified public social media presence. Most public information about her comes from older interviews, family appearances, and art related coverage.
She has continued to be associated mainly with art, animals, family, and wildlife causes rather than Hollywood. For readers looking for more celebrity stories, The Weird News Blog covers famous families, artists, and the lives behind well known names.
What Is Liza Todd’s Net Worth?
Liza Todd’s personal net worth is not publicly disclosed. Some websites publish estimates, but there is no reliable public financial information confirming those figures, so this article does not present an estimate as a fact. Readers should treat any exact number found elsewhere with caution unless it is backed by a named, verifiable source, and in this case no such source is publicly available.
Frequently Asked Questions About Liza Todd
Who is Liza Todd the sculptor?
Liza Todd is an American sculptor and the only child of Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd. She is known for bronze sculptures of horses and other animals, and for later wildlife conservation art projects.
How old is Liza Todd?
Liza Todd was born on August 6, 1957, so she is 69 years old in 2026.
What is Liza Todd known for?
She is best known as a sculptor of bronze horses, including models of famous race horses, and for animal sculpture more broadly, including wildlife and memorial works.
Who are Liza Todd’s parents?
Her mother was actress Elizabeth Taylor and her father was producer Mike Todd. After Taylor married Richard Burton in 1964, Burton adopted Liza.
Was Liza Todd an actress?
Acting was never her main career. She took part in school productions and has been linked to a small appearance in Anne of the Thousand Days, but she chose sculpture as her profession.
Who was Liza Todd married to?
She married artist Hap Tivey in 1984 and divorced him in 2003. They had two sons together, Quinn and Rhys Tivey.
What is Liza Todd’s net worth?
Her net worth is not publicly disclosed, and no reliable public source confirms an exact figure.
In the end, the Liza Todd sculptor biography is not a story of someone chasing fame. It is the story of a woman born into one of the most photographed families in the world who chose the slower, quieter work of shaping bronze, studying animals, and raising a family away from the spotlight.
