Judy Garland’s offspring to gather for ‘Wizard of Oz’ Oscar tribute
At this year’s Academy Awards, the red carpet will lead to the yellow brick road as Judy Garland’s three children -- Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft and Joey Luft -- gather to help celebrate the 75th anniversary of their late mother’s beloved film “The Wizard of Oz,†according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The move is a rarity for the offspring of one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures. Minnelli and Lorna Luft broke a 20-year spell of not performing together when they teamed to sing at a cancer benefit in New York in October. Joey Luft, whose few show business appearances came when he was a child, has not typically gone in front of an audience in recent decades. The specifics of the commemoration have yet to be finalized.
The move comes in the wake of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announcement that the theme of this year’s Oscar ceremony “will honor big-screen real-life heroes, superheroes, popular heroes and animated heroes, both past and present, as well as the bold filmmakers who bring them to life.â€
PHOTOS: Oscars 2014 presenters and performers by The Times
That would certainly apply to Dorothy, Garland’s intrepid character in “Oz,†and the actress herself, who in her tumultuous personal life battled drugs and alcohol, failed marriages, strained relationships with her children, and career ups and downs, but also captivated generations of moviegoers.
Minnelli, Garland’s daughter by her second husband, director Vincente Minnelli, followed in her mother’s footsteps as a singer and actress, as did Lorna Luft, Garland’s daughter by her third husband and manager, Sid Luft.
Although Garland’s progeny have not always seen eye to eye over the years, they are reportedly on good terms now.
The academy has been eager to look back to Hollywood’s most storied properties: At last year’s ceremony, the Oscars marked the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise with a montage and musical medley.
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