The award season in Hollywood is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to see which 2026 Oscar nominees will be crowned the winners. However, reflecting on the award show’s history, a well-known legend is airing her grievances about a past Academy Awards appearance. Yes! We are talking about Lady Gaga’s viral moment helping Liza Minnelli onstage. A moment that left everyone in awe of the camaraderie, but, according to the latter, the story wasn’t as sweet as it seemed.
The alleged truth behind Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli’s famous Oscar moment
Liza Minnelli is never one to hold back her opinions about things she dislikes. And she will soon be spilling some very exciting stories in her upcoming memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, which is slated for release on March 10, 2026. The book, timed to release ahead of the Oscars airing on ABC (streaming with a Hulu subscription) on March 15, 2026, featured a snippet in Variety that alleged she was forced to sit in a wheelchair for the viral Lady Gaga moment. She was quoted as saying:
“I was inexplicably ordered — not even asked — to sit in a wheelchair or not appear at all. I was told it was because of my age, and for safety reasons, because I might slip out of the director’s chair, which was bulls—. ‘I will not be treated this way,’ I said. I was heartbroken. I was much lower down than I would have been in the director’s chair. Now I couldn’t easily read the teleprompter above me.”
What is the viral Lady Gaga and Minnelli moment?
Lady Gaga and Liza Minnelli’s famous Oscar moment dates back to 2022. The star duo was presented with the Oscar for Best Picture at the award show. However, during their appearance on the stage, Liza briefly fumbled her words, and it was Lady Gaga who reassured her just before the show cut to the nominees for the category. When the clips stopped rolling, the feed returned to the duo, who had a bit of banter before Liza read that CODA won best picture.
How does Liza Minnelli feel about the 2022 Oscar moment?
While some praised Lady Gaga for her continued support of aged icons, and pointed to her relationship with the late singer, Tony Bennett. Liza Minnelli was feeling something completely different. She pointedly said how she was rolled out on a wheelchair against her will and added:
“How would you feel if you were wheeled out, against your will, to perform in front of a live audience, and unable to see clearly? So when I stumbled over a few words, Gaga, who was at my side, didn’t miss a beat to play the kindhearted hero for all the world to see. ‘I got you,’ she said, leaning down over me.”
Liza Minnelli adds that Lady Gaga checked on her ahead of the performance after hearing about the wheelchair situation. The triple threat said that she simply told the artist she was “a big fan” as her parents, Judy Garland and Vincent Minnelli, taught her to be gracious in moments of high stress. However, the connection between them doesn’t end with them being performers. Liza’s mom, Judy, also once starred in Lady Gaga’s A Star is Born. The two legends have mutual respect for one another.
While Liza Minnelli’s comment has left everyone stunned, neither Lady Gaga nor the Academy Awards has responded. However, it will be interesting to see whether her statement affects the upcoming awards and what else the singer reveals in her upcoming book, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!
What are your thoughts on Liza Minnelli’s alleged statement about the viral Oscar moment?
Next Read: Gordon Ramsay Opens Up About His ‘Torrid Relationship’ With Dad In Docuseries, ‘I Sadly Had…’
