7 Tragic Events That Shaped Liza Minnelli’s Life

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.