EXCLUSIVE: Martin Scorsese 'Raging' Over Liza Minnelli's Portrayal of Him as Drug-Addled, Jealousy-Riddled Lover
Martin Scorsese has been left fuming over Liza Minnelli's portrayal of him as a jealous lover.
March 12 2026, Published 4:37 p.m. ET
Liza Minnelli is ripping open old Hollywood wounds by describing a volatile, drug-fueled romance with director Martin Scorsese that sources have told RadarOnline.com has left the pint-sized filmmaker with huge "rage" over her portrayal of him as a jealous, cocaine-fueled lover during the troubled production of his much-criticized New York, New York flick.
Minnelli, 80, writes about the affair in her new memoir Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, recounting how she and Scorsese, now 83, became romantically involved while making the 1977 musical drama.
Liza Minnelli is reopening old Hollywood drama in her new memoir.
The relationship unfolded as the film's production spiraled over schedule and budget in New York, and as both were navigating complicated personal lives.
At the time, Minnelli was married to producer Jack Haley Jr., who died in 2001, while Scorsese was married to his second wife, writer Julia Cameron.
Insiders said the director has been left furious at how the relationship is depicted, particularly the emphasis on jealousy and drug use during the shoot.
'We Were Constant Companions'
The legendary performer describes a volatile romance with Martin Scorsese.
In the memoir, Minnelli described how their bond intensified amid escalating substance use.
She writes: "As we filmed, Marty became a heavier and heavier user of cocaine. It seemed that it was no longer recreational for either of us. It was day and night. On the set, in between takes, and when we went out in the evening."
Minnelli also recalled how closely intertwined their lives became during the production.
"We were constant companions, and I was right there beside him," she writes.
"Line by line, Marty claimed the drug helped his creative juices. Sure it did. Or is that just one more fabulous lie you tell yourself when you're in the grip of substance use?"
'Deeply Unhappy and Furious'
The memoir also recounts a jealous confrontation over dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov.
One source close to the director said Scorsese is "deeply unhappy" and "furious" with the depiction.
The source said: "Martin feels the book paints him as a drug-addled, jealousy-riddled lover, and he is absolutely raging about that characterization. He believes it reduces a complicated moment in his life to something sensational."
The memoir also recounts a dramatic confrontation in Greenwich Village after Scorsese heard rumors Minnelli was seeing ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov.
According to the book, the director confronted her in anger, shouting: "How can you do this to me? How can you do this to me?"
Minnelli later confirms she did have a relationship with Baryshnikov during the same period.
'Amour Fou'
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Minnelli’s memoir is already stirring fresh debate about the infamous production.
A publishing insider familiar with the memoir said the passage has already drawn attention because it underscores what the source called "a combustible creative partnership."
They said: "People around them at the time knew it was intense. The idea that Martin is portrayed as jealous and consumed by drugs is exactly why some in his camp say he is raging over the portrayal."
Minnelli described the relationship as what she calls "amour fou," a French phrase she explains as meaning a passionate romance that becomes self-destructive.
She wrote such a relationship "becomes a powerful hypnotic drug in every way," suggesting the emotional turmoil mirrored the excesses surrounding the film's production.
The making of New York, New York itself, was notoriously chaotic. The film's budget reportedly ballooned from $7million to $12million while the shooting schedule stretched to 22 weeks rather than the planned 14. Industry observers have long viewed the production as one of the most difficult periods in Scorsese's early career.
Minnelli also recounts how her and Scorsese's professional relationship continued after the film.
She later asked the filmmaker to direct her Broadway musical The Act, despite his lack of experience in theater directing. The collaboration ended abruptly when Minnelli decided to dismiss him from the production.
Reflecting on that moment, Minnelli writes that the decision "damn near killed me and broke my heart."
