Ron Howard, Emma Rice, Neil Tennant and more on Liza Minnelli: She holidayed in my Cornish bungalow'

"She was effervescent and fun. I remember feeling so cool that this teenage girl was showing me card tricks. She taught me how to shuffle. She taught me how to play solitaire. When she became a star, which wasn't that many years later, I recognised her and thought, OK, that's Liza Minnelli."

"I just marvelled at how great Liza's comedy energy was at that point in her life. But she's always been bold. She has never played it safe her entire life. She's always been a fearless performer and an artist."

"He knew that I'd known her, but I said, Well, I don't know if she even remembers me. But her agent said she did, so I called her to try to recruit her. We laughed about our connection and she was delighted that I remembered."

Ron Howard recalls meeting Liza Minnelli in 1963 on the set of The Courtship of Eddie's Father when he was seven years old and she was fourteen. Vincent Minnelli introduced his daughter to the young actor, and she entertained him with card tricks and games despite the age difference. Years later, when Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz sought to cast the character Lucille 2, Howard recommended Minnelli, and she accepted. Howard praised her exceptional comic energy and fearless approach to performance, noting she never played it safe throughout her life. Their reconnection on the show delighted both, with Howard marveling at her bold artistry and comedic abilities.

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