'Judy', directed by Tony Award nominee Rupert Goold, also chronicles the tragic star's demons at the end of her life.
- Jun 15, 2018
AceShowbiz - Entertainer Liza Minnelli has distanced herself from Renee Zellweger's upcoming biopic about her mother Judy Garland, insisting she does not approve of the project.
The "Bridget Jones's Diary" star portrays the legendary performer three decades after the "Wizard of Oz" lit up movie screens, as Garland prepares for a sold-out run of shows at London's The Talk of the Town nightclub in 1969.
The new movie, directed by Tony Award nominee Rupert Goold, also chronicles the tragic star's demons at the end of her life. She died from an accidental drug overdose in London that June (1969), 12 days after her 47th birthday.
Recent reports suggested Judy's daughter Liza had personally approved of Renee's casting by meeting and spending time with her, but on Thursday, June 14, the 72-year-old took to Facebook to shoot down the claims, insisting she wants nothing to do with the unauthorised film.
"I have never met nor spoken to Renee Zellweger...," she wrote. "I don't know how these stories get started, but I do not approve nor sanction the upcoming film about Judy Garland in any way. Any reports to the contrary are 100% Fiction."
Zellweger and filmmaker Goold have yet to respond to Minnelli's terse remarks, which comes five months before Judy is set to be released in theatres in November.
Film fans were recently given a sneak peek of Zellweger in character as Garland, in an eerie photo of Renee sporting the late singer/actress' famous brunette pixie cut and a black, off-the-shoulder floral dress as she sings into a microphone.
The movie was adapted by "The Crown" writer Tom Edge from Peter Quilter's stage musical "End of the Rainbow", and also stars Michael Gambon as Judy's manager Bernard Delfont, and Bella Ramsey and Gemma-Leah Devereux as her daughters Lorna Luft and Liza, respectively.
