Lorna Luft Reveals Why She’s ‘So Protective’ Over Her Late Mom Judy Garland’s Incredible Legacy

Her beloved mother, Judy Garland, may have passed away five decades ago, but Lorna Luft has every intention of preserving her inspiring legacy. While exclusively chatting with Closer Weekly at the “Rebels With a Cause” Gala on October 24, the 66-year-old daughter of the iconic entertainer reflected on her mom’s career and explained why she’s remembering the late star for who she truly was.

“Here’s the deal. I always think that I’m so protective of my mother’s legacy,” Lorna admitted during the event after she was asked her thoughts on Renée Zellweger‘s portrayal of her mother in the new film Judy. “I feel that if people really want to know about my mom, go see her movies, go rent her television shows and go listen to her recordings. She’s my mom. So, I always want people to sort of … to see the real deal.”

Lorna explained that although it wasn’t necessarily difficult to watch the film, which hit theaters on September 27, she felt the movie didn’t do her mom justice. “I just feel that if you really want to know about her, go see the work that she loved,” the Grease 2 actress suggested. “I mean, you have to understand one thing. When my mom was 37 years old, she’d made 39 movies. I think that says it all.”

For the 50 years since Judy passed away from an accidental overdose in 1969, Lorna and her family — including siblings Liza Minnelli, 73, and Joey Luft, 64 — have continued to celebrate their late mother “by letting people know about her incredible work and her artistry and her meaning to the history of this industry,” she explained.

The A Star Is Born: Judy Garland and the Film that Got Away author also opened up about her life since being diagnosed with a brain tumor in March 2019. Lorna gushed that although her mom is no longer around, she keeps Judy in mind to give her strength. “I’m still fighting,” she revealed. “I’m not done. Never give up, never give in.”

In a previous interview with Closer this past May, Lorna opened up about how inspiring of a person her mom truly was. “People don’t realize that my mother was the most positive person. She used to say, ‘Always remember that the glass is half-full,'” Lorna sweetly shared. “She had an incredible ability to make people feel and bring them joy.”

We will never forget Judy’s inspiring legacy!

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