Liza Minnelli has checked into rehab in Malibu. Her rep. Scott Gorenstein, confirmed to Page Six on Wednesday that Minnelli:

“has valiantly battled substance abuse over the years, and whenever she has needed to seek treatment she has done so. She is currently making excellent progress at an undisclosed facility.”

There was no drama that triggered her check-in, but it seems the Oscar-winner knew she needed help. Liza has been in rehab multiple times, most recently a decade ago in ’04. In ’84, she reportedly dropped out of Broadway production of The Rink and at the urging of Elizabeth Taylor, checked into Betty Ford. Minelli’s mother, Judy Garland, of course died of an overdose of barbiturates. A ’97 New York magazine profile said:

“Minnelli does display all the evidence of what the Betty Ford folk would call an addictive personality with her incessant smoking, the sugar she dumps into her coffee, the ice-cream cone she consumes after dinner at Foxwoods.”

Minnelli had back surgery last fall and missed her pal Joan Rivers’ funeral in September as a result. But she was back in the saddle again in December, making a surprise appearance an annual holiday show in Hollywood. She reportedly injured her back picking up her dogs and was recuperating in a rented Beverly Hills home. This has got to be tough to be in pain and be an addict too… so easy to get your dosage up and if you’re Liza, SO easy to get a prescription. Here’s hoping it sticks this time. (Photo, Pacific Coast News; via Page Six)