Liza Minnelli on Aging: ‘I Just Keep Replacing Parts and Moving Forward’

Despite having both hips replaced, 78-year-old actress and singer Liza Minnelli is still writing and creating, with aging experts commending her for staying focused on solutions, not problems.
“I just keep replacing parts and moving forward,” she said. “You just deal with it and be happy.”
Minnelli also had her jawbone reconstructed after a fall in 2007 and in 2009, she under went kneecap replacement surgery.
Her attitude towards life reflects resilience in the face of adversity, according to Kimberly Best, registered nurse and author of  “How to Live Forever: A Guide to Writing the Final Chapter of Your Life Story.”
“She is proactive in her health management and maintains a positive outlook,” Best told The Epoch Times on Oct. 18. “She uses humor and positivity to cope with what life throws her in aging.”
Minnelli is known for roles in “Cabaret” in 1972, “The Sterile Cuckoo” in 1969, and “New York, New York” in 1977 directed by Martin Scorsese and co-starring Robert DeNiro. The Academy award and Emmy award winner is also the daughter of Judy Garland who played Dorothy in the 1939 “Wizard of Oz” box office hit. Her father, Vincente Minnelli, directed the films “Meet Me In St Louis” and “An American In Paris.”
Minnelli’s advice for living 78 years long is to take care of your body.
“’Cause you might live longer than you expect to,” she said.
Although she’s nearing 80, Minnelli appears to be enjoying her golden years.
She’s working with Tiffany & Co.’s creative director Christopher Young.
“We’re collaborating on new ways to celebrate Elsa Peretti,” Minnelli said. “I’m also recording again.”
Peretti, a luxury jewelry designer who died in 2021, befriended Minnelli after dressing her for several occasions.
The youngest woman to win a Tony award at 19 years old, Minnelli is also friendly with actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke whom she said taught her to, “put on a happy face.”
Van Dyke, who is 98 years old, starred in “Mary Poppins” in 1964 and the “Dick Van Dyke Show” from 1961 to 1966.
“I love performing,” Minnelli said. “I still take dance lessons.”
“When we are young, we live like we’ll be young forever,” Best said about Minnelli’s advice. “It is true though, that the healthy habits we cultivate now will help us have much better lives later.”
The HIV and AIDS prevention activist was married four times—first to David Gest, then Mark Gero, subsequently Jack Haley Jr., followed by Peter Allen.
Minnelli has always been transparent about her struggles with prescription pill and alcohol abuse. Her mother died of a barbiturates overdose in 1969.
Since 1992, Minnelli has had five stints in drug and alcohol rehab facilities, and substance abuse may have contributed to her need for replacement surgeries.
The severity of the correlation, however, depends upon the type of drug being abused, the frequency and duration of use, and the amount taken.
“The abuse of alcohol and other drugs can contribute to a reduction in bone mineral density, bone mass, and disrupt important calcium balance and absorption,” Dr. David Campbell told The Epoch Times on Oct. 18. “That can lead to slower healing processes, an increase in fracture and skeletal injury risks, joint problems, arthritis, and bone growth/regeneration impairment.”
Campbell is the clinical and program director at Recover Together Bend (RTB), an immersive addiction treatment facility in Bend, Oregon.
Mell McCracken, executive Director of No Matter What Recovery in Los Angeles, said Minnelli likely also had more access to prescription medications.
“The combination of physical ailments and the intense pressure to perform creates a perfect storm for many celebrities, pushing them toward substance use as a means to cope with anxiety, depression, and public scrutiny,” McCracken told The Epoch Times on Oct. 18.
Minnelli did not respond to requests for comment.