Liza or Louise?
After being cast in the role of Sally, Liza Minnelli decided to speak to her father, stage director Vincente Minnelli, in order to ask for advice on how to play the part and what sort of style she should be aiming for. She asked him, “Should I be emulating Marlene Dietrich or something?” Liza’s father instead told her to “study everything you can about Louise Brooks.”
Louise Brooks in ‘The Canary Murder Case,’ 1929. Photo by Paramount / Kobal / Shutterstock
Brooks, a famed actress, and dancer of the ’20s and ’30s, therefore served as the primary inspiration for Sally Bowles’ look and movements. Minnelli studied her closely, trying to copy her makeup and hairstyle, as well as her general behavior and mannerisms. It worked to perfection as she ended up winning an Oscar.