This article contains mentions of addiction and suicide.
Liza Minnelli is an icon.
The word gets thrown around often, but Minnelli embodies every sense of it.
She can sing, dance, and act, and her personal life has never been boring.
Suffice it to say, Minnelli is a person of interest.
But unfortunately, much ofthe untold truth of Liza Minnelliis quite dark.
And she knows she hasn’t had it easy.
“People have no idea what I have gone through.
Here are the tragic details about Liza Minnelli’s life.
“Nearly everybody my parents knew were in showbusiness.
So, by default, when I was growing up, nearly everybody I met was in the industry.
Looking back, of course you realize that wasn’t a regular childhood.
But to me, at the time, it was,” Minnelli said in an interview withVogue Arabia.
“They had us working days and nights on end.
They’d give us pills to keep us on our feet long after we were exhausted.
The combination use of the two caused lifelong struggles for Garland, and they ultimately proved to be lethal.
Tragically, in 1969, just days after turning 47, Garland died from an accidental overdose.
Liza Minnelli was just 23 years old.
“I didn’t stop for about eight days.
Despite the inner turmoil Garland faced, Minnelli was happy growing up.
“There were highs and lows for sure, but I can say I was very happy.
Liza Minnelli has battled it, too.
“My whole life, this disease has been rampant.
Additionally, Minnelli has struggled with alcoholism.
But like Minnelli said, she’s always asked for help.
“I knew [I had a problem], and I told my father.
He said, ‘Well, let’s see what can we do about it.’
So he took me there,” Minnelli toldVarietyof her first visit to rehab.
Minnelli has been to rehab again as recently as 2015.
Liza Minnelli’s been married and divorced multiple times
Liza Minnelli has loved and lost.
The EGOT winner has had four different husbands, all of whom she’s divorced.
“I have great taste in directors and in people for costumes.
But as far as husbands go, I think that I kept changing for them.
And then about a year later I’d think: ‘What am I doing?
This really isn’t me,'” Minnelli toldOprahof her various marriages.
The star’s first marriage was to performer Peter Allen.
Minnelli then married an artist, Mark Gero.
But the star doesn’t see herself finding a fifth husband.
“I’m adamant about it.
There is no reason on this earth …
I kept trying to get it right and I never did, so I gave up!”
Minnelli told The Guardian.
“She would’ve been a great mother,” Minnelli’s friend Allan Lazare said of her.
Unfortunately for Minnelli, motherhood wasn’t in the cards.
I had to give birth to that child.
It was horrendous,” she told Tim Teeman.
This pregnancy also resulted in lasting complications.
“We got along instantly, and he became my fashion mate.
I did what he said.
He really took care of me,” Minnelli said of her friend in an interview withHarper’s Bazaar.
“I’m very, very saddened by this loss.
I just lost my best friend,” Minnelli said of Halston to theLos Angeles Times.
“I don’t like it.
I hated it when they did it to my mother, or my father or myself.
And I won’t do it to Halston.
I just won’t.
Liza Minnelli suffered from a horrific brain disease
Liza Minnelli has had to fight for her health.
Minnelli didn’t let the brain disease win.
“I had to learn to walk again, had to learn to talk again.
People don’t usually recover like I recovered but I would not give up.
Gest claimed that Minnelli’s abuse had caused him lasting neurological issues, including headaches and vertigo.
Minnelli responded with a countersuit claiming that Gest did not treat her well, either.
“I hoped very much that the end of my marriage would be handled with mutual respect.
Ultimately the lawsuit was dropped, and the two settled their divorce about four years later.
The dancer accused Gest and her former bodyguard of colluding against her with the lawsuits.
Ultimately, the second lawsuit was settled, too, though the terms remained undisclosed to the public.
Her years of dancing have brought many people joy, but they’ve been hard on her body.
Luckily the surgery was a success.
But Minnelli’s health issues haven’t stopped there.
She’s also had two hip replacements, issues with her jaw and teeth, and knee issues.
Despite all her health problems, the dancer has stayed committed to staying as active as possible.
“Never stop moving or you’ll stop moving.
Moreover, the public appearances she’s agreed to haven’t gone great.
While she was welcomed with a standing ovation, the EGOT star appeared to be confused.
“She was nervous, and it made her look like she was out of it.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
Visit theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration websiteor contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
