Imitation is said to be the sincerest form of flattery.
But if there was serious intent in Dame Elizabeth Taylor's Michael Jackson impersonation, then she should be seeking out a new style adviser.
In cowboy hat and circular shades, and with brightly painted lips and a pale face, she could have been a lookalike fan at a Jackson concert.
The wheelchair she is confined to by osteoporosis only served to heighten the effect.
Jackson, a close friend of Dame Elizabeth's, has been spotted in a wheelchair a number of times himself, prompting speculation over his health.
The 76-year-old actress was on her way to a dinner date at The Abbey, a gay bar and restaurant in Hollywood.
The venue is a favourite of hers and she has presented the owners with a gold framed portrait of herself, which has pride of place above the DJ booth, Mail Online reported.
An onlooker said: ' She seemed in high spirits but it was a sad sight to see her struggle to stand up from her seat. She was eventually lifted and placed into her car.'
Dame Elizabeth suffers a number of heath problems, including diabetes and congestive heart failure.
She has also had both hips replaced and a benign brain tumour removed.