Video: Liza Minnelli Shares What She Learned From Her Parents

Liza Minnelli is looking back on her storied career in the Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, a newly released memoir from the EGOT winner. To coincide with the book's release, she sat down with People to discuss the project and share some stories from her childhood.

Growing up in a showbiz family, Minnelli always wanted to be a dancer and remembers a formative theatergoing experience as a child. "The first time I saw Bye Bye Birdie with kids on the stage, live, they looked like they were having so much fun. I thought, 'I want to do that too,'" she explained, noting that she would always watch the dancers when visiting her father at MGM.  

Minnelli's parents were filmmaker Vincente Minnelli and entertainer Judy Garland, both of whom she was close to. "He was my world. He was also my rock when all of these other crazy things were going on that nobody knew how to explain. My dad was there."

Regarding her relationship with Garland, Minnelli served as her mother's caretaker during some difficult periods. "I think about what she went through every day. What she felt. It gave me more patience," she said, noting that her experiences with Garland taught her how to be a good listener. "I loved doing it because I loved her so much."

Watch the full video, where Minnelli also speaks on what she learned from her four marriages and overcoming addiction. 

In Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, Minnelli writes candidly about her upbringing as the daughter of filmmaker Vincente Minnelli and entertainer Judy Garland, her rise to international fame, and her experiences with recovery and substance use disorder. The memoir also reflects on her relationships with fellow artists and cultural figures, as well as her family, including her sister Lorna Luft. It is now available in bookstores. Find out what critics think of it here.

About Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli is an entertainment icon whose career spans over six decades. Along with being a member of the exclusive EGOT club (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony), her accolades include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Legend Award on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a Golden Globe Award. In 2017, she was awarded France’s esteemed Légion d’Honneur as an Officer, one of the highest distinctions a foreign national can receive, recognizing her exceptional contributions to arts and culture.