Being a Hollywood legend, Liza Minnelli achieved the rare EGOT status, showcasing her insane singing talent, as well as impeccable acting and dancing. Her life, both professional and personal, has always been fascinating, but despite all the glitz and glamour, Minnelli’s journey has been quite tragic. Most of the people have no idea what she’s been through.
Despite Liza’s sunny outlook, her life has been filled with all sorts of hardships and tragedies.
1. Liza Minnelli’s traumatic childhood
Before we even get to the really traumatic stuff, let’s talk about Liza Minnelli’s early years. Her parents, Vincente Minnelli, a famous director, and her mother, Judy Garland, who starred in A Star Is Born as well as the iconic The Wizard of Oz, met while filming Meet Me in St. Louis and married a year later, welcoming Liza in 1946. Growing up amid all the showbiz hustle, Liza’s childhood was anything but normal. However, behind that facade of a happy family, Liza’s mother was struggling with personal demons, battled addiction, had affairs, breakdowns, and even attempted suicide. This eventually led to her divorce from Vincente, but the damage had already been done.
2. Liza Minnelli has battled addiction, just like her mother
Not unlike her mother, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli also struggled with addiction. Her issues with substance abuse began after being prescribed Valium following her mother’s death, and she has also dealt with alcoholism. Minnelli has consistently sought help, checking into rehab several times. Her first visit was to the Betty Ford Center in the 1980s, encouraged by her father. She has returned to rehab over the years, including as recently as 2015.
3. Liza Minnelli’s multiple divorces
Liza Minnelli has experienced love and loss, like all of us mortals. But with four of her marriages ending in divorce, there’s gotta be something she was doing wrong. Reflecting on her failed marriages, she told Oprah that she kept changing and adapting to the new men instead of being herself. Her first husband, Peter Allen, came out as gay after their marriage, leading to its end. Her second marriage to director Jack Haley Jr. ended because they were better as friends. During her third marriage to artist Mark Gero, she suffered three miscarriages. Liza’s fourth marriage to producer David Gest was so bad that she swore off marriage as a whole.
4. Liza Minnelli lost a pregnancy
Minnelli always wanted a family, but sadly, motherhood wasn’t meant to be. She suffered three miscarriages, one very late in pregnancy, which deeply affected her as poor Liza gave birth to that child. It was horrendous. One loss also left her with a hiatal hernia due to medical complications. While she couldn’t have her own children, Minnelli has become a godmother 21 times, including to Broadway performer Nicolas King.
5. Liza Minnelli had a brain disease
In 2000, Liza Minnelli was diagnosed with encephalitis, a potentially fatal brain inflammation from a mosquito bite. Doctors told her she might never walk or talk again. But it would take more than that to destroy our star. Minnelli refused to give up and had to relearn how to walk and talk, but she didn’t quit. Her determination paid off, and by 2001, she was back on her feet performing, doing talk shows, and even landing a role on Arrested Development.
6. Liza Minnelli’s serious health issues
Due to various factors, including years of dancing, Liza Minnelli’s general health has been going downhill. She suffers from scoliosis and had major back surgery in 2014, which left her in a wheelchair for a time. Earlier, in the late ’90s, she underwent surgery to remove polyps from her vocal cords. Minnelli has also had two hip replacements, jaw and teeth issues, and knee problems. But look at her! Despite all the surgeries, she continues taking daily dance classes to stay strong and remains active, saying, “Never stop moving or you’ll stop moving.”
7. Liza has been living like a hermit
In the last ten years, Minnelli’s public appearances have been scarcer and scarcer. Her 2022 Oscars appearance alongside Lady Gaga, where she presented Best Picture in a wheelchair, didn’t go as planned. Though she received a standing ovation, Minnelli seemed confused. According to her friend Michael Feinstein, she had requested a director’s chair due to walking difficulties, but last-minute changes forced her to use a wheelchair instead. Feinstein explained that this made her nervous and uncomfortable.
