Liza Minnelli Reflects on Tense Gene Hackman Dynamic in New Memoir

LIZA Minnelli is making headlines with a candid look back at her time filming the 1975 movie Lucky Lady.

In her new memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, the Oscar-winning entertainer recalls that she and late co-star Gene Hackman did not get along on set, describing him as "downright rude" and saying there was little chemistry between them during production.

Minnelli wrote that Hackman was "very dismissive" of her while they worked on the Stanley Donen-directed film, which also starred Burt Reynolds.

She said the strained atmosphere made the experience difficult, especially given the romantic tension required by the story’s love-triangle plot, according to Daily Mail.

The revelation is one of several attention-grabbing stories in Minnelli’s memoir, which also includes memories involving Martin Scorsese, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Lady Gaga, Stephen Sondheim, Peter Sellers, and David Gest.

Hackman died in February 2025 at age 95. His wife, Betsy Arakawa, also died that month at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. According to reports cited in the article, Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, while Hackman later died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

With her memoir now out, Minnelli is offering fans an unfiltered account of her Hollywood life, including both warm memories and difficult working relationships.