Liza Minnelli made a scarce public appearance on Tuesday, October 21, as she honored Janet Jackson with the Icon of the Year award at Dancers Against Cancer's Gala of the Stars event. HELLO! was in attendance, and the Oscar-winning actress, 79, did not walk the red carpet but appeared on stage in an oversized velvet throne as jazz dancers performed around her. "Wow," she exclaimed as the performance ended.
One of the dancers handed her a microphone as he introduced her, but Liza did not speak; she had previously spoken during a pre-recorded package about her 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award before arriving on stage. Liza is one of only 21 people in the world to be at EGOT status; she has won an Emmy, two honorary Grammy awards, an Oscar and four Tonys.
The daughter of The Wizard of Oz star Judy Garland, Liza began her career as a musical theatre actress, nightclub performer, and pop artist. Her big screen breakout, The Sterile Cuckoo in 1969, saw her earn her first Oscar nomination. She won the award three years later for the role of Sally Bowles in the musical film Cabaret, the role for which she is perhaps best known.
Liza and Janet have been friends for years, and often appear in public together. As Janet walked out on stage, she spoke to Liza off-mic, before the 59-year-old gave a heartfelt speech in which she thanked the numerous dancers and choreographers who had inspired her over the years. "In six or seven months, I am going to be 60-years-old and I have to tell you, I have no plans to stop dancing," Janet told the cheering audience.
© WireImageLiza has faced numerous health challenges in recent years, including checking herself into rehab in 2015. Scott Gorenstein, a spokesman for the actress, said: "Liza Minnelli has valiantly battled substance abuse over the years. And whenever she has needed to seek treatment, she has done so. She is currently making excellent progress at an undisclosed facility."
The actress has battled alcoholism and substance abuse issues for decades, originating from a Valium prescription after her mother died in 1969. Andy Warhol once wrote in a 1978 diary entry how Liza had arrived at the fashion designer Halston's house and said: "Give me every drug you've got." Her first noted rehab stint was in 1984.
© Penske Media via Getty ImagesLiza was married to Peter Allen for seven years, and in 1996 she admitted she was the last person to discover that he was gay, revealing how she found out: "I married Peter, and he didn't tell me he was gay. Everyone knew but me. And I found out ... well, let me put it this way: I'll never surprise anybody coming home as long as I live. I call first!"
© Bettmann ArchiveIn 1974 she married Jack Haley Jr, the son of actor Jack Haley, who played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz alongside her mother. They divorced five years later, and that same year she married Mark Gero, a sculptor and stage manager; they were together for 13 years until 1992.
In 2002, Liza tied the knot with David Gest. Michael Jackson was the best man, Elizabeth Taylor was Liza's matron of honor, and the bridal party included Mia Farrow, Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, and American singer Mya. Their divorce was finalized in 2007.
© FilmMagicIn 2000, Liza was diagnosed with viral encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain that can lead to permanent brain damage or even death), which significantly impacted her ability to walk and talk, and she underwent months of physical therapy to relearn the basic motor skills.
She has also endured surgeries for hip and knee replacements, jawbone reconstruction, and was diagnosed with scoliosis (a curve in the spine).
