When you think about Judy Garland, your brain probably goes straight to the ruby slippers, the tragic headlines, or that tremulous, once-in-a-generation voice. But for three people, she wasn't a tragic icon. She was just "Mama." Honestly, there is a weird obsession with the "Garland Curse," but if you look at judy garland children now, the story isn't one of misery. It’s a story of survival, sharp humor, and a lot of expensive hip replacements.
Liza, Lorna, and Joey. They’ve spent over fifty years defending a woman the world insists on pitying. But as they’ve moved into their 70s and 80s, the narrative has shifted. They aren't just "the kids" anymore; they are the keepers of a very complicated flame.
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Liza Minnelli: The Queen of "Replacing Parts"
Liza is 79 now. Let that sink in. The woman who defined the 1970s with Cabaret and a pixie cut has outlived her mother by more than three decades. People love to worry about Liza. They see her in a wheelchair at the Oscars or hear about her health struggles and assume the worst.
But Liza’s take? "I just keep replacing parts and moving forward."
She’s had two false hips, a wired-up knee, and three crushed disks. She also deals with scoliosis, which is actually why she dances the way she does—it was the only way to move without hurting. It's kinda wild to think that her signature style was actually a workaround for physical pain.
Despite the rumors of her being "unrecognizable" or "fragile," she’s still very much here. She recently mentioned that her life is "beautiful" and filled with laughter. She isn't performing like she used to, but she still takes dance lessons. Imagine being nearly 80 and still hitting the barre. That’s the Garland grit.
The Misconception of the "Tragic" Upbringing
Liza has been vocal about the fact that her childhood wasn't the nightmare people think. She famously said that the biggest misconception is that her mom didn't provide a happy childhood. Sure, they moved a lot. Sure, there were "stomach pumps" and scary nights. But there was also a woman who would wake them up just to tell a joke.
Lorna Luft: The Resilience of the Middle Child
If Liza is the supernova, Lorna is the engine. At 73, Lorna Luft is probably the busiest of the three. She’s currently prepping for her 2026 tour, An Evening with Lorna Luft, which is set to hit venues like Ramapo College in February.
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Lorna’s life hasn't been easy. She’s battled breast cancer multiple times and had a brain tumor removed in 2018. We’re talking about a woman who had part of seven ribs and her sternum removed, and was back on stage singing 16 weeks later.
She’s the one who writes the books. She wrote Me and My Shadows, which became an Emmy-winning miniseries. She’s also the one who keeps it real about the "family business." To Lorna, show business isn't a choice; it's a genetic requirement.
"We've all had tragedies in life, but we're not tragic. And she [Judy] had tragedies, but she was not tragic." — Lorna Luft
She spends a lot of her time now as a grandmother. Her daughter, Vanessa, is a nutrition coach in San Diego and has been open about her own sobriety—reminding everyone that the "addiction gene" in the family is real, but it’s something they fight out in the open now.
Joey Luft: The Son Who Chose the Shadows
Then there’s Joey. He’s 70 now. While his sisters were out winning Tonys and headlining in London, Joey mostly stayed behind the camera. He’s the quietest of the bunch.
Joey studied photography and sound. He’s worked on film sets for decades, mostly avoiding the "celebrity" part of his name. But in recent years, he’s stepped out a bit more. He put together A Judy Garland Concert with Joey Luft, where he shows colorized clips of his mom’s old TV show and tells stories.
He’s the one who reminds us that Judy was just a person who liked to cook and hang out. He’s often said that he doesn't want to talk about the "bad things" because that wasn't the core of who she was. For Joey, the legacy is about her sense of humor and her ability to make a room feel warm.
The Reality of the Garland Legacy in 2026
So, what is the state of the judy garland children now?
It’s a mix of nostalgia and very modern resilience. They are all fiercely protective of their mother’s memory. They hated the 2019 biopic Judy starring Renée Zellweger—Liza wouldn't even watch it. They feel like the world focuses too much on the pills and not enough on the person.
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The siblings are close. Despite the years of tabloid rumors about "feuds," they are a tight-knit unit. They’ve had to be. No one else understands what it’s like to have your mother’s death be a public event or to have your own health struggles dissected by people who still see you as a "child of Hollywood."
The Next Generation: The Grandkids
Judy never got to meet her grandkids, but they are carrying the name forward in their own way.
- Vanessa O'Neil (Lorna's daughter): A fitness expert and mother of two. She represents the "healing" side of the family.
- Jesse Hooker (Lorna's son): Lives a private life but has children of his own, making Judy a great-grandmother multiple times over.
- Kieran and Logan: These are Judy's great-grandsons. Vanessa famously said she saw a rainbow right after Kieran was born—a little nod from "Over the Rainbow" perhaps?
Lessons from the Garland-Luft Clan
Looking at these three, you realize that "legacy" isn't a burden unless you let it be. They’ve all had their brushes with the same demons their mother faced—addiction and health scares—but they’ve managed to do something she couldn't: they grew old.
They’ve proven that you can survive a Hollywood childhood and come out the other side with your sense of humor intact. They’ve also shown that it’s okay to "replace parts" and keep moving. Whether it’s a hip or a reputation, you just keep going.
If you want to truly honor the family, stop looking at them through a lens of tragedy. Look at Lorna’s tour dates. Look at Liza’s grit. Look at Joey’s dedication to the archives.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out Lorna Luft's 2026 tour schedule if you're on the East Coast; she's one of the last true links to the Vaudeville-style storytelling era.
- Re-watch The Judy Garland Show episodes curated by Joey; they show a much more vibrant, funny version of Judy than the movies do.
- Support organizations like The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative, where Lorna is a founding board member, continuing her mother's long-standing status as an ally.