TheWill Smith slapwasn't the only bit of drama to arise out of the 2022 Oscars.
In her upcoming memoir "Kids, Wait Till You Hear This,"Liza Minnelli, 79, describes being unhappy that she was allegedly forced to sit in a wheelchair when she presentedbest picture at the 2022 Academy Awards with Lady Gaga. Minnelli says she was expecting to sit in a director's chair, but this changed at the last minute.
USA TODAY has reached out to Gaga and the Academy for comment.
"I was inexplicably ordered − not even asked − to sit in a wheelchair or not appear at all," the "Cabaret" star claims in the book, according to an excerpt published byPeople magazineon Feb. 20.
"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 bull----. I will not be treated this way, I said. My co-presenter insisted she would not go on stage with me unless I was in a wheelchair."
Minnelli adds, "I was heartbroken."
Minnelli was joined on stage byLady Gagawhen she presented the Oscar for best picture to "CODA" on March 27, 2022.
Watch the tender momentLiza Minnelli, Lady Gaga warm hearts amid chaotic Oscars night
At the time, Gaga stood while Minnelli was seated next to her in a wheelchair, with the "Poker Face" singer saying she was honored to be with a "true showbusiness legend." The appearance was tied to the 50th anniversary of the 1972 musical film "Cabaret," which earned Minnelli the Oscar for best actress.
Minnelli held cards apparently containing the script for the presentation, though she appeared to read from a teleprompter while introducing a montage of the best picture nominees. When Minnelli seemed to become momentarily confused, Gaga leaned over and could be heard telling her, "I got you," in what was widely seen as a heartwarming moment. The pop star held Minnelli's hand and kneeled down to open the envelope so Minnelli could read the winner.
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In her memoir, which will be published March 10, Minnelli reportedly writes that because she was required to sit in a wheelchair, she was "much lower down than I would have been in the director's chair," making it difficult to read the teleprompter.
"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?" she says in People's book excerpt. "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 was 'sabotaged':Friend Michael Feinstein says the star was 'shaken' in Oscar moment
The best picture presentation with Minnelli came at the end of the same ceremony where Smithslapped Chris Rockfor joking aboutSmith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers hair loss from alopecia. As a result, Smith was banned from attending the Oscars for 10 years.
A few weeks after the awards show, Minnelli's friend Michael Feinsteinclaimed she was unhappywith the way the best picture presentation occurred. Minnelli's memoir is based on her interviews with Feinstein.
While appearing on"The Jess Cagle Show" in 2022, Feinstein, who was present at the Oscars with Minnelli, alleged the actress was "sabotaged."
"She only agreed to appear on the Oscars if she would be in the director's chair, because she's been having back trouble, and she said, 'I don't want people to see me limping out there,' " he said. "She said, 'I want to look good. I don't want people to worry about me.' "
Bad Bunny and "Wuthering Heights" have dominated the month of February, as the march to the 2026 Oscars continues. Stars have been stepping out this month at movie premieres and awards shows, including the Grammys and the Independent Spirit Awards. Plus, New York Fashion Week 2026 is underway, featuring appearances by Rihanna and Anne Hathaway.
Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of February 2026 so far, starting with Bad Bunny, left, and Lady Gaga performing during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Keke Palmer attends the Film Independent Spirit Awards at Hollywood Palladium on Feb. 15, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rose Byrne " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Kirsten Dunst, left, and Jesse Plemons " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Amy Madigan " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Dylan O'Brien " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Wunmi Mosaku " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Glen Powell attends a screening of "How To Make a Killing" on Feb. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Margaret Qualley " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Topher Grace " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jessica Henwick " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Charli XCX attends the premiere of "The Moment" during the Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 14, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Callum Turner, left, and Dua Lipa attend the "Rosebush Pruning" premiere during the Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 14, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Pamela Anderson " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Haley Lu Richardson attends the "Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die" premiere during the Berlinale International Film Festival Berlin on Feb. 13, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Zazie Beetz " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bella Ramsey attends the "Everybody Digs Bill Evans" red carpet during the Berlinale Berlin International Film Festival on Feb. 13, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Isabel May attends the "Scream 7" x TikTok Stab House Experience on Feb. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Neil Patrick Harris attends the "No Good Men" premiere during the Berlinale International Film Festival on Feb. 12, 2026, in Berlin, Germany. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Timothée Chalamet attends a screening of "Call Me By Your Name" hosted by Cinespia on Feb. 13, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Hudson Williams attends the Hennessy Gold House Lunar New Year Celebration at Chinese Tuxedo on Feb. 12, 2026, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Margot Robbie attends the "Wuthering Heights" Australian premiere on Feb. 12, 2026, in Sydney, Australia. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jacob Elordi " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Hailey Bieber " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Dove Cameron attends the premiere of "56 Days" on Feb. 11, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Halsey " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Neve Campbell attends a screening and Q&A for "Scream" on Feb. 10, 2026, in Paris." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Halle Berry attends the premiere of "Crime 101" in Los Angeles on Feb. 10, 2026. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Chris Hemsworth " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Ben Affleck, left, and Matt Damon " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Angelina Jolie attends a screening of "Coutures" in Paris on Feb. 9, 2026." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Anne Hathaway attends the Ralph Lauren runway show during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 10, 2026, in New York." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny performs during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Ricky Martin " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Bad Bunny, left, and Lady Gaga " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Young Miko and Pedro Pascal " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Alan Ritchson attends the "War Machine" premiere on Feb. 7, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Chase Infiniti attends the NAACP Image Awards Nominees Brunch on Feb. 7, 2026, in Los Angeles, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Anthony Davis, left, and Yvette Nicole Brown " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Tyriq Withers " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Caleb McLaughlin attends the premiere of "GOAT" on Feb. 6, 2026, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Gabrielle Union" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Aaron Pierre " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
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Jelly Roll " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Keke Palmer attends the premiere of "The 'Burbs" on Feb. 5, 2026, in Universal City, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
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Margot Robbie attends a photocall for "Wuthering Heights" in Paris on Feb. 2." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jacob Elordi " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Jacob Elordi, Emerald Fennell, Margot Robbie and Shazad Latif " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Sabrina Carpenter performs during the Grammys on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Lady Gaga" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Music's biggest stars are kicking off February on a high note with the 2026 Grammy Awards, where Bad Bunny had a big night with an album of the year win for "Debí Tirar Más Fotos."Meanwhile, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are continuing to step out on red carpets for "Wuthering Heights." February will also see the return of New York Fashion Week, plus the premieres of highly anticipated movies like "Scream 7" and TV shows like ABC's reboot of "Scrubs."
Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of February 2026 so far, starting with Bad Bunny attending the Grammys on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />
Billie Eilish, left, and Finneas O'Connell " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Chappell Roan " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Doechii " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Justin Bieber " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Olivia Dean " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Trevor Noah, left, and Gayle King " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Addison Rae " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Harry Styles " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Jelly Roll" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Miley Cyrus " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Tate Mcrae " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Rex Linn, left, and Reba McEntire " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Charli XCX attends the W Magazine, Charli XCX, and Saint Laurent Grammy after party at Bar Marmont on Feb. 1 in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Paris Hilton " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> See Halle Berry, Bad Bunny in the best celebrity photos of February
Bad Bunnyand "Wuthering Heights" have dominated the month of February, as the march to the 2026 Oscars continues.Stars have been stepping out this month at movie premieres and awards shows, including the Grammys and the Independent Spirit Awards. Plus,New York Fashion Week 2026is underway, featuring appearances by Rihanna and Anne Hathaway.Scroll through for the best celebrity photos of February 2026 so far, starting with Bad Bunny, left, and Lady Gaga performing during the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 8, 2026, in Santa Clara, California.
Feinstein added, "Five minutes before she went on, when she sat in the director's chair back there − and I guess they were all shaken up because of everything that had happened earlier [with Will Smith], the stage manager said, 'Well, she has to be in a wheelchair.' And Liza pleaded. She said, 'No. I will not be seen in a wheelchair in front of everybody. I will not do this. I refuse to do this.' And they said, 'Well, it's either that or nothing.' "
According to Feinstein, Minnelli finally gave in and agreed to sit in the wheelchair, but the situation left her "so shaken up" that "it made her look like she was out of it."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Liza Minnelli slams Oscars presentation with Lady Gaga
