Latest news with #Liza:ATrulyTerrificAbsolutelyTrueStory
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Liza Minneli discusses failed marriages and spills David Gest secrets in film
Singer and actress Liza Minneli speaks candidly in new film coming to BBC at weekend WITH four failed marriages, Liza Minnelli could be forgiven for being cynical about relationships. But the singer, actress and dancer is a cheerleader for romance, saying: 'I feel wonderful about love. I wanted it to be like it was in the songs.' In the film Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, the star and her tight circle of friends open up about her life and her multiple husbands. Being the daughter of Wizard of Oz icon and singer Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli put Liza in the spotlight from the very beginning – and her love life was something that always made headlines. Her mum Judy married five times and Liza, 79, has notched up four. Her first marriage, to entertainer Peter Allen in 1967, lasted only a few years because she found him in a compromising position with another man. Liza says in the Bruce David Klein-directed biopic: 'Peter was so much fun to be with but I think he felt restricted. He needed, literally, to come out!' Friends adored the Aussie and Liza's actress pal Mia Farrow reveals: 'It was the happiest I saw her in her private.' The star's second husband, from 1974 to 1979, was actor Jack Haley Jnr, whose father also starred in The Wizard of Oz, leading pals to joke 'the daughter of Dorothy has married the son of The Tin Man'. From 1979 to 1992 Liza was married to sculptor Mark Gero. Friends claim he was 'a solid rock' in her life because he was not from the showbiz world. A decade later she wed US producer David Gest. The pair separated in 2003 and divorced in 2007. There has been much speculation around I'm A Celebrity and Celebrity Big Brother star Gest's sexuality, with Sir Elton John adding fuel to the fire by joking he wanted to 'find Liza a heterosexual husband'. Gest denied he was gay and claimed in interviews that he only loved women. But in the new film, when asked about her track record of relationships, Liza quips: 'Give me a gay break, will you?' then tells the cameraman: 'I'm sorry, cut that!' Gest – who died from a stroke in a hotel room in 2016, aged 62 – is the spouse who receives the harshest backlash from Liza's pals. It seems no one liked him or trusted him, and some make him out as a controlling and manipulative figure in her life. Singer and pianist Michael Feinstein says bluntly: 'Bette Davis said you should only speak good about the dead. Well, David Gest is dead. Good!' Liza's close pal, former dentist Allan Lazare, who died last year, is also critical. He is seen saying: 'They met during a period of time in Liza's life when she wasn't doing so well. 'Physically, she gained a lot of weight and David Gest charmed her and romanced her. Gest had the gift of the gab. Nothing was real and basically for a while he took over her life. He took everyone in her life out of her life. 'It ended when Liza went on tour and she came back and David Gest took everything out of the apartment and left her with a bed and a lamp. He took every picture and every piece of furniture and put it into storage.' And when Knots Landing actress Michele Lee tells the camera: 'I knew about all her men', Liza interrupts, saying: 'And some of them weren't men at all.' Such quips seem to have become a way of life for Liza, according to those closest to her. Performer and artist Jim Caruso points out that the star – who is a rare showbiz 'EGOT', having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award – was taught to keep quiet about her private life and turmoil. Instead, she made out to her fans and the media that her life was 'like a cabaret' – referencing her 1972 hit movie. He says: 'Liza was taught by her MGM parents how to make things sound fantastic. She will never go on camera and talk about the dirt. 'She has acknowledged that she didn't always make the greatest decision in relationships and laughs about it because there was genuine love deep in every one of those in different ways.' Liza is best known for Cabaret, Liza with a Z and Martin Scorsese's 1977 film New York, New York. In later years she enjoyed success with the Pet Shop Boys on the album Results and appeared in the Sex and the City 2 movie and on RuPaul's Drag Race. The biopic, which premiered last year and airs on BBC2 this weekend, also looks into how she was affected by the death of mum Judy. The former child star was 47 when she died of an accidental overdose in 1969, when Liza was 23. Liza recalls: 'I started crying and I didn't stop for about eight days. It just was devastating to me.' Liza also battled her own addictions. She admits: 'I was the kind of person who never fell down. I never missed work. I never did any of the things you think of when you think of somebody being a real mess. 'But inside I felt so weird. I was taking valium and prescription drugs but I really didn't feel like I had a drug problem. I'd drink silly drinks like rum and coke. And I started to notice that drinking made me feel better from that. It is really that simple but then it turned on me, like it always does.' The star says she hid her problems because she did not want people to know she was under stress. She adds: 'I always wanted to be the hero.' But she is very candid about growing up in the shadow of her mum, saying: 'Being Judy Garland's daughter is not a lot of laughs but I am grateful for all the bad stuff. It prepared me for the rest of my life. It made me understand a little bit more about myself.' * Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is on BBC2 on Saturday at 9pm.
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Liza Minnelli, 79, Makes Rare Appearance for 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17 Finale as New Winner Is Crowned
The queen of Broadway was just honored by drag queens! Liza Minnelli made a guest appearance on the season 17 finale of RuPaul's Drag Race that aired Friday, April 18. The EGOT-winner, 79, was honored with another award: The Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award. Minnelli sat in a throne on the main stage clad in classic black Halston and jewels, and took a trip down memory lane with host RuPaul. RuPaul's #DragRace is proud to present the Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award to the one and only Liza Minnelli ❤️ 'Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story' is now available to buy or rent on all major digital platforms. — RuPaul's Drag Race (@RuPaulsDragRace) April 19, 2025 "Look at you!" Minnelli complimented the Emmy-winning host, 64. "I know. It only took six hours," RuPaul joked. "Seven for me," Minnelli replied. "I'm older than you." Minnelli recalled how fans would come to MGM studio to see her mom, actress Judy Garland and her dad, director Vincente Minnelli. Minnelli's younger half-brother Joey Luft, was also in the audience. Garland famously covered the song "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe." Fans can learn more about Minnelli via her 2024 documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story. Minnelli's appearance came ahead of the season 17 champion being crowned. Related: RuPaul's Drag Race Contestant Reveals Charles Barkley Is Her Godfather (Exclusive)The four finalists going into the finale were Lexi Love, Onya Nurve, Jewels Sparkles and Sam Star. In the end, Nurve was crowned America's Next Drag Superstar, succeeding season 16 champion Nymphia Wind. Sparkles was runner-up, while Crystal Envy won the title of Miss Congeniality. Suzie Toot won the title of Queen of She Done Already Done Had Herses after winning the lip sync smackdown the week prior. RuPaul's Drag Race airs Fridays on MTV. Read the original article on People
Los Angeles Times
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A Liza Minnelli doc and an '80s L.A. slasher for your weekend rotting
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone just trying to find all that jazz. In this week's edition, we recommend two films that bring the comforts of nostalgia: 'Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story,' a film that spotlights Liza Minnelli's life in the 1970s, and 'Out of the Dark,' a 1988 L.A. slasher that our film critic Amy Nicholson recently rediscovered. Also in Screen Gab No. 176, we help refresh your memory on where 'The Last of Us' left off and 'Yellowjackets' star Sarah Desjardins stops by to unpack her character's mommy issues. Must-read stories you might have missed After a 15-hour shift on 'The Pitt,' Noah Wyle reviews Dr. Robby's day: The star and executive producer of Max's hit medical drama spoke with The Times about the whirlwind first season. Shape-shifting Will Poulter is getting too good to sideline: The London-born actor is distinctive in a flurry of recent work, including the movies 'Warfare' and 'Death of a Unicorn,' plus a new episode of 'Black Mirror.' 'The Conners' are saying goodbye: The cast and producers of the 'Roseanne' spin-off speak about the show's topical storylines. After decades of pushing, stunts will get their own Oscar: The Oscars will finally honor stunt performers with a new award for achievement in stunt design, debuting at the 100th Academy Awards in 2028. Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times 'Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story' ( Bruce David Klein's documentary on Liza Minnelli, presented under the umbrella of PBS' 'American Masters' series, will be catnip to (us) fans, but those not already in that club may be persuaded to join. 'Liza,' which dutifully surveys the star's professional and personal life — multiple marriages and miscarriages, stints in rehab — presents Minnelli as more than the sum of her influences, yet very much shaped by her associations with Kay Thompson, Charles Aznavour, Bob Fosse, Fred Ebb and Halston, not to mention the genetic inheritance from parents Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli. Both enormously successful and somehow — at least in my mind — underrated, Minnelli's stock in trade has been a particular, powerful combination of vulnerability and determination, of seeming like the strange yet compelling kid in the back of the class. The testimony of various friends and lovers and mentors (they all seem to blur together) including Ben Vereen, Michael Feinstein, makeup artist Christina Smith, Ebb and his songwriting partner, John Kander — who wrote the score for 'Cabaret,' Minnelli's breakthrough film, and 'Liza with a Z,' her Emmy-winning television concert — paint a warm, unaffected person you might like to know and who would make you feel she was glad to know you. — Robert Lloyd 'Out of the Dark' (Shudder, Tubi) This 1988 sleazy slasher flick is about a clown-masked serial killer who murders the actresses of a phone-sex hotline in downtown Los Angeles. There's a lot of nudity, saxophones and electric guitars, with corpses dumped from MacArthur Park to Studio City's El Royale Hotel. I can't costume it as a classy noir even with a shot of a spiral staircase swirling into the 3rd Street Tunnel. But director Michael Schroeder delivers all the schlock you want while juicing this pulp into something weirder, like casting 'Harold and Maude's' Bud Cort as a lovelorn accountant and butching up the cult legend Divine into a mustachioed male LAPD detective. If you dig top-tier retro L.A. trash, make this a double feature with 1989's 'Death Spa' (Tubi). — Amy Nicholson Everything you need to know about the film or TV series everyone's talking about After a two-year wait, everyone's favorite fungal zombie apocalypse show is finally back: The second season of 'The Last of Us' premieres Sunday. Created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, HBO's acclaimed survival drama is set in a world that has been ravaged by the outbreak of a mysterious mutant cordyceps fungus that turns human hosts into horrific, mindless monsters. An adaptation of the hit video game of the same name, the nine-episode first season followed gruff smuggler-turned-surrogate father figure Joel (Pedro Pascal) and his teen charge Ellie (Bella Ramsey) on a cross-country journey to help find a way to save the world. Ellie's immunity to the fungus potentially holds the key to a cure. Check out the handy guide staff writer Tracy Brown, our trusty 'The Last of Us' expert, assembled to help get you up to speed. READ MORE >> 'The Last of Us' Season 2 is arriving soon. Here's a Season 1 recap A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they're working on — and what they're watching Like mother, like daughter? It's an all too valid observation with this week's Season 3 finale of 'Yellowjackets' including a stunning revelation about Callie, the moody teenage daughter of Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) played by Sarah Desjardins. No spoilers here. Let's just say Callie's curiosity about her mother's time in the wildnerness has caught up with her. In this week's Guest Spot, Desjardins discussed her character's state of mind, what she's watching and more. — Matt Brennan and Yvonne Villarreal One of the key developments this season is the bond Callie forms with Lottie before her death. At one point, Lottie asks her how she would describe herself without embarrassment, shame or fear, and she deflects. What was the answer going through her head that she wasn't ready to speak yet? I personally think that Callie is feeling lost, confused and scared. Part of that fear is coming from this inner knowing she has that she is a very powerful person. She doesn't know what to do. She doesn't know what that means. I think she's scared of what she's capable of. I think Callie is also lonely. She wants love. She wants to be seen and heard. She knows she is very worthy of both those things, but like anyone would in her environment, she doubts herself. I love her very much. 'Yellowjackets' has become renowned for casting high-profile actors as the adult versions of the Yellowjackets, as well as recurring and guest stars. Who would you be most excited to see join for a Season 4 and why? Can Sarah Snook join us? PLEASE. Need I explain why? She is a powerhouse and endlessly captivating. What have you watched recently that you're recommending to everyone you know? 'The Studio' [AppleTV+]. I am such a sucker for projects about our industry but, also, it is just so incredible. I love the way it's shot, the performances; it's such a fun, hilarious ride every episode. What's your go-to 'comfort watch,' the film or TV show you return to again and again? TV shows I am always going between [are] 'Gilmore Girls' [Netflix], 'The Office' [Peacock] and 'Friends' [Max]. The two films that come to mind are 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' [VOD] and 'It's Complicated' [Starz, VOD]. Truly can't count how many times I've seen either.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Liza Minnelli Making Drag Race Debut in Season 17 Grand Finale — First Look
We've seen Liza Minnelli imitated on Snatch Game, but after 17 seasons, the real deal is finally coming to RuPaul's Drag Race. The legendary performer and longtime gay icon will guest-star in the show's grand finale on Friday, April 18 (MTV, 8/7c), TVLine has learned. Minnelli will grace the main stage to receive Drag Race's first-ever Giving Us Lifetime Achievement Award. More from TVLine The Vivienne Dead: RuPaul's Drag Race Star's Cause of Death Revealed Drag Race's Latest Twist Ending Was Predicted by Daya Betty Who Is Drag Race's 'Piggy of the Week'? It Doesn't Mean What You Think! (Exclusive Sneak Peek) Get a first look at Minnelli's highly anticipated (and some might say long-overdue) Drag Race debut below: This news comes on the same day that PBS is premiering Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story, a documentary about the star's life and career. You can catch its on-air debut on Tuesday, April 1 at 9 pm. Five queens remain in the running to become America's Next Drag Superstar this season: Jewels Sparkles, Lexi Love, Onya Nurve, Sam Star and Suzie Toot. If we're going by the numbers, Onya is currently the Season 17 frontrunner with an impressive four wins under her belt. She's followed closely behind by Sam with three wins, Lexi and Suzie with two, and Jewels with one. Are you excited to finally see Minnelli on the main stage? And which queen do you hope/think will win Season 17? Drop a comment with your thoughts on all things below. Best of TVLine Summer TV Calendar: Your Guide to 85+ Season and Series Premieres Classic Christmas Movies Guide: Where to Watch It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, Die Hard and Others What's New on Netflix in June
Washington Post
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
‘Liza' is a captivating portrait. Why does she still feel elusive?
A friend of Liza Minnelli recalls asking the star whether she had enjoyed a dinner party. 'Oh, it was okay,' Minnelli replied. 'They wanted her' — meaning the hurricane of limbs with the saucer eyes gleaming under the spotlight, rather than the woman underneath. So, which version do viewers get from 'Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story'? After the documentary premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last June, Minnelli told People magazine that she planned to release a memoir, expected next spring from Grand Central Publishing. Among her inspirations, the 79-year-old cited 'a sabotaged appearance at the Oscars,' in 2022, and 'a film with twisted half-truths.' Presumably, she was referring to 'Liza,' which debuts Tuesday as part of the PBS American Masters series, though the film appears to have been made with Minnelli's enthusiastic involvement.
