Show summary Hide summary
Liza Minnelli pulls no punches in her new memoir, naming one-time co-star Gene Hackman as cold and dismissive during their 1975 film. Her account rekindles memories of a troubled production, while the book also revisits long-hidden affairs and fraught relationships.
Liza Minnelli’s candid accusation against Gene Hackman
In Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, Minnelli recounts tense moments on set with Hackman. She says the Oscar winner treated her with little warmth.
Jets lock up young star with massive 4-year contract
James Burrows dead at 85: Will & Grace director and Cheers co-creator
Director Stanley Donen later told others the actor was aloof, she writes. Minnelli adds that the lack of rapport made work difficult.
She calls Hackman’s behavior “downright rude.” The line stands out in a memoir filled with blunt detail.
What happened on the set of Lucky Lady
Lucky Lady opened in 1975 and reunited several big names for a Prohibition-era caper. The movie tried to blend comedy and romance.
- Role highlights: Minnelli played Claire, a widow who turns to bootlegging.
- Burt Reynolds portrayed Walker, Claire’s lover and crime partner.
- Gene Hackman took the role of Kibby, Walker’s friend caught up in the triangle.
The trio’s on-screen relationships were central to the plot. Off screen, the cast clash soured the atmosphere.
Production troubles and critical response
Lucky Lady failed to win over critics. Reviews called it lavish but unfocused.
Prominent critic Roger Ebert rated it two out of four stars. He described the film as well-made yet ultimately inconsequential.
The movie also underperformed at the box office, leaving a stain on an otherwise star-studded project.
Memorable personal revelations in Minnelli’s book
Besides the film set friction, Minnelli shares intimate episodes from her romantic life.
- She says she had an affair with director Martin Scorsese while married to producer Jack Haley Jr.
- She also admits to being engaged to two men at once during her marriage to Peter Allen.
- Minnelli writes that she discovered Allen in a sexual encounter with another man, which changed her relationship with him.
The memoir reads like a confession and a reckoning. Minnelli mixes showbiz anecdotes with emotional honesty.
The timing: Minnelli’s remarks come after Hackman’s death
Minnelli’s candid passages about Hackman appear more than a year after his passing. Hackman died in February 2025.
The actor’s death came just days after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, also died. The sequence of events shocked fans and raised questions.
Key dates and official findings
- Hackman’s death was reported on Feb. 18, 2025.
- Arakawa died six days earlier.
- Both bodies were discovered in the couple’s home on Feb. 25, 2025.
Authorities described the scene as a cluttered house where the couple’s remains were partially mummified.
Officials believe Hackman may have been living unknowingly near his wife’s body for days.
Medical causes and public reaction
Medical examiners listed the causes behind each death. Hackman’s official cause was cardiovascular disease.
Specifically, hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease were cited. Advanced Alzheimer’s disease was noted as a contributing factor.
Arakawa’s death was attributed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. That illness is a rare infection transmitted by rodents.
The unusual circumstances of the discoveries set off intense public scrutiny and widespread media coverage.
How Minnelli’s book reshapes the conversation
Publishing frank assessments of colleagues raises immediate questions. Readers debate whether it is fair to criticize the dead.
The memoir has reignited interest in Lucky Lady and in the private lives of Hollywood figures from that era.
Fans and critics will likely parse Minnelli’s accounts for months. Her candid tone ensures the book stays in the headlines.
