Judy Garland began her life in the spotlight at just 2 years old and she was just 16 when she filmed the movie that propelled her into mainstream stardom, The Wizard of Oz. She appeared in cinema staples throughout her entire career, such as 1944’s Meet Me in St. Louis, 1954’s A Star Is Born, and 1963’s I Could Go on Singing, despite suffering from a myriad of personal demons, like body image issues, depression, and substance abuse.
And even though her three kids, Liza Minnelli, 76, Lorna Luft, 69, and Joey Luft, 67, saw those struggles firsthand, they followed in their mother’s footsteps and carved out careers in the entertainment industry of their own. However, not all her children followed her path as a multi-tasking parent. It only seems that one of her kids had children, making the icon a grandmother. So, who are Judy’s grandkids? Read on to learn all there is to know.
Vanessa O’Neill and Jesse Hooker
Judy’s second child and youngest daughter, Lorna, had two kids with musician Jake Hooker, who died in 2014 at the age of 69. Her eldest son, Jesse, was born in 1984, and her second child, Vanessa, was born in 1990. There is very little known about Jesse other than the fact that he has two kids, making Judy a great-grandmother. On the other hand, Vanessa has been more open to sharing her life with the public, even though she did not choose to follow her grandmother’s path in the entertainment industry.
Vanessa is a personal trainer and nutrition coach in San Diego. She is also an Arbonne consultant. “The health and wellness industry has helped me so much, not only with my physical health and body image, but my mental health, 1,000 percent,” she said in a March 2022 interview with Today. Like her grandmother and own mother, Vanessa has struggled with drug addiction, but she has fought hard to remain a healthy and mindful individual. “I do have the addiction gene myself,” O’Neil revealed. “I’m seven years sober, and I really do feel like it’s a genetic trait in my family.”
Vanessa said her family is very proactive in honoring the incredible work Judy did as a Hollywood starlet. “I’m in awe even being her own granddaughter,” she told Today. “I’m so impressed and blown away that this 4-foot-11 little woman has this humongous voice.”
And despite never knowing her, Vanessa feels connected to Judy. In fact, she believes that the award-winning legend sent her a sign right after her son, Kieran, was born in March 2022. “You could see behind the little bassinet that my son was in, sure enough, just a big rainbow right there,” she recalled to Today. “It really makes you feel like, hey, like you are sending me a sign that you know. Thank you.” Vanessa has another son, Logan, 5, with husband Patrick O’Neil.
Although Judy isn’t there in person to see her two grandkids and four great-grandkids thrive, it seems like she’s always there in spirit.
Why did Liza Minnelli never have kids?
The most famous daughter of Judy, Liza, did become pregnant three times, but she, unfortunately, miscarried each time. Her first miscarriage came during her marriage to Jack Haley, Jr., while the other two occurred during her union with Mark Gero. She was married two other times but did not produce kids from them, either.
Meanwhile, there is very little known about the youngest child of Judy, Joey, and his career. It is also unknown if he ever wanted to have a child.