Liza Minnelli’s four marriages, gay ex-husband Peter Allen, and motherhood regrets are explored in her candid new documentary.
Who Crushed Liza Minnelli’s “True Love” Dream?
Her first marriage to Peter Allen began as swoon-worthy—until she walked in on him with another man.
Married at 20, Minnelli had “no clue” he was gay, claims her pal Michael Feinstein in the documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story.
“She believed him,” says director Bruce David Klein. Post-divorce? She joked, “Give me a gay break!”
Why Did She Stay Close With Her Ex?
Despite shock and heartbreak, Minnelli and Allen stayed friends until his 1992 AIDS death. “She cherished his humor and talent,” Klein notes.
Allen later dated model Gregory Connell for 13 years. Minnelli even nudged him to embrace his truth: “He needed to come out.”
Was the Tin Man’s Son Her Happily Ever After?
Nope. In 1974, she wed Jack Haley Jr.—son of Wizard of Oz’s Tin Man. Dubbed “Dorothy’s daughter + Tin Man’s son,” Feinstein called them “Hollywood’s perfect pair.”
It lasted five years. Minnelli quipped, “Life’s not a fairy tale, honey.”
Which Marriage Turned Into a Headline War?
Her 2002 union with David Gest. Michael Jackson was best man; Elizabeth Taylor was maid of honor.
But chaos followed: Gest sued her for $10M over alleged abuse; she countersued for theft. They settled in 2007. Gest died in 2016.
What’s Minnelli’s Biggest Regret?
Never becoming a mom. “She ached for kids,” says Klein. Miscarriages shattered her dream.
Now 78, she fills her nights with piano singalongs and dinners with godchildren. “Joy lives here,” insists the doc.
Quick Facts About Liza Minnelli’s Love Life:
1️⃣ First husband Peter Allen hid his sexuality; she found him with another man.
2️⃣ Married Jack Haley Jr. (Tin Man’s son) in a Hollywood “fairy tale” lasting 5 years.
3️⃣ David Gest’s wedding included Michael Jackson and ended in a $10M lawsuit.
4️⃣ Suffered multiple miscarriages; calls childlessness her “deepest sorrow.”
5️⃣ Documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific, Absolutely True Story in theaters nationwide.