EXCLUSIVE: Liza Minnelli's 'Dirty' Dying Dream Exposed After 79-Year-Old Revealed Marriage to Oddball David Gest Left Her Feeling Like a 'Prisoner'
Liza Minnelli reveals her 'dirty' fantasies in her new memoir.
Feb. 26 2026, Published 3:20 p.m. ET
Lusty Liza Minnelli has revealed she fantasizes about dating an 18-year-old as she reflects on a turbulent romantic past – insisting she has not given up on love even after a marriage that left her feeling like a "prisoner."
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Oscar-winning star of Cabaret, who has been married four times – to Peter Allen, Jack Haley Jr., Mark Gero, and David Gest – opens up about her late-life sexual desires in her new memoir, Kids, Wait Until You Hear This!.
Minnelli revealed her romantic fantasies in her new memoir, 'Kids, Wait Until You Hear This!'
Minnelli, who also counted Martin Scorsese, Desi Arnaz Jr., and Peter Sellers among her former partners, described a longing for companionship on her own terms after decades in the spotlight. Sources told us she is now focused less on convention and more on savoring whatever time remains of her life as she heads for her 80th birthday in March.
Minnelli writes in her warts-and-all memoir: "Ideally, I'd like to date an older, elegant man who dresses beautifully and is filthy rich. Then I'd like to date a 40-year-old guy who is passionate about something. I don't care what. Then I'd like to date an 18-year-old, who I see twice a week and whose name I don't know."
A longtime friend said, "Liza has always had a wicked sense of humor about romance, but beneath that is someone who simply wants joy. At 79, she is intent on enjoying her final days – laughing, flirting, and living without apology."
'I Was His Prisoner'
Minnelli claimed husband David Gest screened her phone calls and controlled her diet during their short marriage.
Minnelli's candor extends to darker chapters. She married Gest in March 2002, but they separated in July 2003 and finalized their divorce in 2007.
Reflecting on the relationship, she says in her autobiography: "I clearly wasn't sober when I married this clown. He didn't just control everything I ate, from morning to night. He controlled the people I saw and spoke to on the phone. He screened my calls. In truth, I was his prisoner."
A source close to the performer said, "That marriage took a profound toll on her. She felt isolated and diminished. Writing about it now is part of reclaiming her story."
The Oscar winner described her marriage to Gest as a period of intense control.
Minnelli also revisits her "passionate" and "intense" affair with Scorsese, who directed her in 1977's New York, New York.
She writes: "Truth be told, our love affair had more layers than a lasagna. We were both Italian. Passionate. Intense. Committed to our craft. We both had volcanic tempers. He was a diabolically handsome man who shared my love for film. I was a director's daughter."
Yet when she encountered Scorsese at the 2014 Academy Awards, the reunion was painful. "He turned away from me," she noted.
Liza Minnelli Is 'Chasing New Memories'
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Desi Arnaz Jr. acted like a true gentleman when Minnelli attempted to apologize for their split.
The actress and singer's memories of ex Arnaz Jr. are more tender. They were once engaged before she broke things off.
She said about years later, when she sought to apologize to him: "But Desi stopped me. 'Liza,' he said, 'All I remember is the love. Please let everything else go. I have.' Talk about a gentleman."
Those close to Minnelli say the memoir reflects a woman at peace with her contradictions.
Another friend said: "She has survived extraordinary highs and devastating lows – professionally and personally. Now she wants pleasure without entanglement. If that means joking about dating an 18-year-old, that is her prerogative."
Minnelli, the daughter of director Vincente Minnelli and screen legend Judy Garland, has spent a lifetime navigating fame, addiction, and heartbreak.
A family associate said: "What matters to her now is connection, laughter, and freedom. She is not chasing fairy tales. She is chasing new memories and moments."
