Liza Minnelli is upset about how her appearance at the 2022 Academy Awards was handled.
The Hollywood legend, 78, announced his new memoir in a statement Tuesday. People magazineand reiterated his claim that he was “sabotaged” at the Oscars two years ago.
Minnelli memorably joined Lady Gaga on stage to present the award for best picture in a wheelchair, and her frail appearance and confused demeanor came as a shock to many.
The “Cabaret” star told PEOPLE she never intended to write a book, but a “series of unfortunate events” — including her Oscar appearance — made her change her mind.
These incidents included “a subversive appearance at the Oscars,” “a movie with twisted half-truths” and “a recent mini-series that just didn’t work out … all made by people who didn’t know my family, and I “I really don’t know,” Minnelli said.
“Finally, I was mad as hell!” he added. “One dinner, I decided, this is my own damn story … I’m going to share it with you because you gave it to me.”
This isn’t the first time the word “subversive” has been used to describe Minnelli’s appearance at the 94th Academy Awards.
Her close friend Michael Feinstein, a collaborator on the memoir, claimed Minnelli was “forced” to use a wheelchair minutes before the Oscars took the stage, between Will Smith and Chris Rock. The infamous slap was prominent.
“Devastated. That’s a terrible word to use, but she only agreed to come to the Oscars if she was in the director’s chair, because she was having back pain,” Feinstein told SiriusXM. “The Jess Cagle Show,” he said.
“She said, ‘I don’t want people to see me limping.’ She said, ‘You know, I want to look good. I don’t want people to worry about me.’
“Then literally five minutes before she left, when she was sitting back there in the director’s chair, and because I guess they were all shaken up by what had happened earlier,” Feinstein said. He said pointing to the slap. “The stage manager said, ‘Well, he’s going to have to be in a wheelchair.’
“She was terrified,” he explained. “And it made her look like she was out of it. Can you imagine suddenly being forced to see millions of people in a way you don’t want to see? That’s what happened to her.”
In announcing his memoir, Minnelli addressed fans who were “concerned” about the actor’s health.
“Thank you all for loving me so much … worrying about me,” she said. “I want you to know that I’m still here, still kicking ass, loving life and still creating.”
“So, until this book comes out, know that I’m laughing, safe in every way, surrounded by loved ones and excited to see what life has in store. Baby, wait when Until you hear this.
Starr also said that she asked Feinstein for help when she decided to write the book.
“We’ve been connected at the hip for 40 years. As an ambassador for the great American songbook and my absolute favorite collaborator. Michael is one of the greats, he’s razor sharp and he speaks the truth. It’s important because, when I Flying into the eighth decade of my life, the memories are different,” Minnelli said.
The EGOT winner is releasing her memoir in spring 2026. According to People, the book will follow Minelli’s rise to fame, her marriages, her struggles with drug abuse and more.
Minnelli is the daughter of the late “Wizard of Oz” star Judy Garland, who dealt with severe alcohol and drug problems. After Garland’s death in 1969 at the age of 23 at the age of just 47 Minelli was prescribed Valium. To help her deal with her grief. This led to his self-prescribed medication and alcohol abuse.
Minnelli made several trips to rehab in the 80s.
In 2000, he was admitted to the ICU of a Florida hospital with partial paralysis, slurred speech and twitching facial muscles. He was diagnosed with viral encephalitis.
“I couldn’t walk and I couldn’t talk, and they told me I would…never do it again,” she said. told NBC In 2004
In June, a documentary about Minnelli, “Lisa: A Truly Amazing True Story,” Premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She reportedly did not attend the premiere in New York due to health issues.
“I kept it alive. Sitting down and watching a movie with you, it would be too much,” Minnelli said in a statement When the documentary came out.
The “Arthur” actress also said she’s “still loving, still kicking, still creating and borrowing from Sondheim, the great, kid … ‘I’m still here. “”
Credit : nypost.com