Liza Minnelli has issued a pointed critique of The Academy Awards and Lady Gaga, revisiting an incident from the 2022 Oscars in which she was made to appear onstage in a wheelchair.
At the ceremony, Gaga wheeled Minnelli onstage to present the Best Picture award and attempted to prompt her to sing from Cabaret (1972). Minnelli, visibly frustrated, responded tersely and later described the moment as humiliating, noting that the wheelchair was imposed on her “inexplicably” and without consent, purportedly under the pretext of age and safety concerns. She added that being positioned lower than in a director’s chair impaired her ability to read the teleprompter.
In her upcoming memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, Minnelli recounts the backstage interaction with Gaga, who asked if she was okay. Minnelli maintained composure, responding with grace while reflecting on lessons learned from her parents, Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli.
The memoir also covers Minnelli’s early life, including her role caring for her mother during Garland’s struggles with addiction, her own path to Broadway stardom, and professional milestones such as winning a Tony Award for Flora, The Red Menace at age 19. She recounts her experiences traveling with Garland, attending multiple schools, and navigating a childhood under public scrutiny, which shaped her resilience and career.
Minnelli’s new book further addresses personal episodes from her adulthood, including her first marriage to Peter Allen and the challenges of balancing family legacy with her own professional ambitions. Through these reflections, she contextualizes the Oscars incident as part of a broader narrative about agency, respect, and self-determination in the entertainment industry.#newsafro_
