Did all of Judy Garland's kids become performers like her?
And did they struggle with the dark side of fame like their mom did?
Keep watching to learn about the lives of the children of one of Hollywood's brightest stars.
Judy Garland was one of the most famous stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. The talented singer
and actress was an acclaimed and beloved performer at the height of her career,
and is probably best known for starring in the classic film "The Wizard of Oz."
Unfortunately, underneath that glitz and glam was a troubled woman with serious
substance abuse issues. Despite her personal struggles and her death at the age of 47,
Garland had a successful career and a growing family.
Garland's five marriages resulted in the births of three children — Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft,
and Joey Luft. So what happened to Garland's kids, especially after her untimely death?
Liza Minnelli is Garland's eldest child. Her father was film and stage director
Vincente Minnelli, Judy's second husband. Liza followed in her mother's footsteps
and is an award-winning singer, actress, and dancer. She has performed on the big screen,
Broadway, and television, and has had a successful music career.
In the midst of that professional achievement, however, she has also
reportedly battled with substance abuse, and has been married four times so far.
As of 2022, Minnelli is still working, and, according to MSN,
is contributing to an album with Michael Feinstein. She made a surprise appearance
at the 2022 Oscars alongside pop sensation Lady Gaga. Regarding her relationship with her mother,
"The best."
"Really? Because--"
"She did not leave her kids for a second."
In 1952, Garland gave birth to the first of her two children with her third husband,
Sid Luft, daughter, Lorna Luft. Though Lorna refers to her childhood as "idyllic,"
by the time she reached the age of 12, she became aware of her mother's struggles
and had to process Garland's divorce from her father.
Following her mother's death in 1969, Lorna also chose to pursue a singing and acting career,
going on to star in films including "Grease 2" and "My Giant." She met and married rocker Jake Hooker
in 1977, and had two children before divorcing. Luft is now remarried and has four grandchildren.
According to Today, her newest grandchild was born in March of 2022.
Luft has suffered a few medical setbacks over the last decade. She was diagnosed with breast cancer,
and had surgeries for it in 2012 and 2015. She was then diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2018.
She has had that tumor successfully removed as well, according to Refinery 29.
She wrote a book about her family in 1998, titled "Me and My Shadows: A Family Memoir."
She published another book in 2019, "A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film That Got Away."
Despite her own battle with cocaine during the '70s and '80s, she is now drug-free.
"It is a family disease and it is a disease."
Garland's only son and youngest child, Joey Luft, was born in 1955. Unlike his sisters,
Luft decided to remain mostly out of the spotlight for the majority of his life.
This doesn't mean he wasn't into show business; he just preferred to remain behind the camera,
according to the Los Angeles Times.
In 2014, Luft created "A Judy Garland Concert with Joey Luft,"
a theater show featuring colorized clips from the "Judy Garland Show" with Luft and a family friend
talking about the late star. As of 2022, Luft has also collaborated with producer,
actress and singer Angela Ingersoll, who earned an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Garland in
"Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland." According to Broadway World,
her performances have earned her the title of "heiress apparent to the Garland legacy."
Like his sister Liza, Joey would prefer to avoid talking about the bad things when it
comes to his mom. Following Garland's death, he had to come to terms with her drug addiction,
though he was only a teenager when she passed. Though it was a challenge to wrap his mind around,
he believed that though his mom had her issues, she was still a great person.
He describes her as a caring person with a great sense of humor. Joey still works
on films and documentaries, many of which honor his mom.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues,
help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).