Veteran performer Liza Minnelli, 75, is one of three children of iconic singer, actress, and dancer Judy Garland (with her second husband Vincente Minnelli). Garland passed away unexpectedly in 1969, leaving behind a legacy which her children have done much to perpetuate. Liza, in particular, has followed in her famous mother's footsteps to become a reputable performer in her own right.
Liza has often spoken about her mother with fondness, recalling how 'mom' would support her through her early years of performing, and encourage her natural talent and enthusiasm for the art of entertainment. But what has Liza said about her relationship with her mother, Judy? Read on to find out.
6 She Remembers The First Time Performing With Her Mother Onstage
In an interview with Variety, Liza was asked to recall her first stage performance with her mother, and remembered it very clearly: "I was 3. My mom took me onstage. But when I was older, like 11, she’d sing “Swanee” [from A Star Is Born] and she made me dance to it and I’d say, “I don’t have a choreographer,” which made her laugh. She got such a kick out of it. It was like, “Look what I made.” And I was so happy whenever she was happy."
5 And Her Mother Making Her Laugh
The star also recalls how amusing her mother could be, and the laughs they often had together. Her mother was "funny, very funny," according to Minnelli, "clear, incredibly intelligent, but more than you could even imagine, and in the moment.
"I’d tickle her when she was really angry or upset about something. I’d take her by the hips and put her on the bed or on the couch. This is when I’m like 5.
"We had such fun because she was so funny. She was funny, and she loved her kids so much. She was protective and very strict. She wanted you to do the right thing, like any mother. It’s that simple."
4 Mom Judy Encouraged Her To Find A Separate Identity
Being the daughter of one of the greatest entertainers of the twentieth century was not without its difficulties, but their relationship endured because Judy always stressed to her daughter the importance of finding her own way, and not being known as 'Judy Garland's daughter' - something Liza has been successful at.
"The hardest part was getting to be known as myself as opposed to somebody’s daughter," Minnelli told Variety, "I remember Mama saying, “Now don’t get upset because of the way they may compare you to me because you’re an entertainer too.” I said, “Oh, I won’t.” And then she reads something where they compared me to her. She said, “How dare they? You’re your own woman. Dammit! Can’t they see?” And she’d throw it down in the trash. She was wonderful and so overprotective. She tried saving us from any of the stuff that other people said, except the great stuff."
3 Liza Still Feels Her Mother Is With Her
Liza also feels that her relationship with her mother did not necessarily end with her death - it continues, as she feels her mother watches over and guides her through life.
Speaking about dealing with criticism, she said, "When I call on her, she’s there, and I call on her a lot. She’ll say, “Ignore it” a lot. She’ll say, “It’s one opinion. Who cares? Just keep going.”
2 She Defends Her Mother's Legacy
Minnelli is also careful to guard her mother's enduring legacy as much as possible, and is critical of cultural depictions of Judy Garland – especially when they portray their mother-daughter relationship. Speaking about the latest adaptation of A Star is Born, starring Lady Gaga in the lead role, Minnelli said her mom “would have laughed” at it.
She moderated this, however, by also stating “And then she would have gotten into it. I can hear her saying, ‘O.K., let’s go! Great to the end!’”
When it comes to the film Judy, however, which saw Renée Zellweger try her hand at impersonating the Wizard of Oz star, Liza was certainly a lot more critical. “I have never met nor spoken to Renée Zellweger,” Minnelli wrote on her Facebook page, “I don’t know how these stories get started, but I do not approve nor sanction the upcoming film about Judy Garland in any way. Any reports to the contrary are 100% fiction.”
If you want to make a film about Judy, Minnelli will be there to pass judgment.
1 Her Relationship With Half-Sister Lorna Endures
Liza's half-sister Lorna, who was born of her mother's marriage to Sid Luft, has spoken also about her relationship with Liza, and how their strange upbringing bound them together in a sense:
"My sister and I will always find our way back to one another, no matter what comes into being," she said. "Our family's just a little strange because it's under a microscope."
