I didn’t address the Oscars In Memoriam section in our coverage yesterday for multiple reasons. One, it’s a huge bummer, especially because we’ve lost so many greats in the past year. Two, this year’s In Memoriam section was a mix between beautiful, respectful and high camp. The way they honored Rob Reiner’s life and work was beautiful, the way Rachel McAdams honored Diane Keaton was lovely and emotional. Then Barbra Streisand came out to honor Robert Redford and it was BONKERS. It was reported ahead of time that Barbra would sing “Memories,” which is from The Way We Were, the film she did with Redford. I wasn’t expecting Barbra to come out and tell a weird story about how Bob Redford called her “Babs,” nor was I expecting her to just whip out a microphone and start warbling. Well, someone else was unhappy with the Redford tribute: Jane Fonda, who worked with Redford four times.
Jane Fonda is playfully teasing Barbra Streisand, who attended the 2026 Oscars to pay tribute to her late co-star and friend Robert Redford.
“I want to know how come Streisand was up there doing that for Redford?” Fonda quipped during an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday night. “She only made one movie with him; I made four! I have more to say.”
Streisand took to the stage during the award show’s In Memoriam segment to honor Redford, who died in September last year at age 89. During her emotional tribute, the legendary singer performed a section of “The Way We Were,” the title track of Sydney Pollack’s 1973 romantic drama, which starred Redford and Streisand.
“Now, Bob had real backbone on and off the screen,” the Funny Girl actress also said of the late actor in her speech. “He spoke up to defend freedom of the press, protect the environment and encouraged new voices at his Sundance Institute — some of whom are up for Oscars tonight, which is so great. He was thoughtful and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail. … I miss him now more than ever, even though he loved teasing me.”
While the 80 for Brady actress didn’t get to deliver her own tribute during the Oscars telecast, she took a moment while chatting with ET to share a few heartfelt words about Redford.
“I was always in love with him,” Fonda said with a laugh. “The most gorgeous human being and such great values. And he did a lot for movies, he really changed movies, lifted up independent movies.”
Many pointed out that this is how Redford would want to be honored – having women fight over who loved him more and who got to pay tribute to his life and work. It just shows that Redford really was an icon, you know? Anyway, I think Barbra probably got the call because of “Memories” and because of the staying power of The Way We Were. That being said, people should revisit Barefoot in the Park, starring Redford and Fonda, because they are both absolutely amazing in that.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images and Netflix
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- Barbra Streisand onstage during the 98th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2026.,Image: 1083406215, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
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- Celebrities attend the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscars Party hosted by Mark Guiducci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art Featuring: Jane Fonda Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 15 Mar 2026 Credit: Jennifer Bloc/Future Image/Cover Images **NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN GERMANY**
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- Celebrities attend the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscars Party hosted by Mark Guiducci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art Featuring: Jane Fonda Where: Los Angeles, California, United States When: 15 Mar 2026 Credit: Jeffrey Mayer/MediaPunch/INSTARimages
Babs’ tribute to Bob was 💯 a tribute to herself… sooo gross. Jane would have done a much better job, but it should have been one of the Sundance directors whose career he (or his Institute or festival) mentored and launched. The man did SO much for independent cinema in this world during the past 40 years, to say nothing of what he did for public lands. He was constantly speaking truth to power via the art he made or nurtured or platformed… and he was a legit film icon to boot. An iconoclast who deserved a proper tribute, not an embarrassing, self-congragulatory ramble from a narcissistic singer with a life long crush. Ugh.
It was embarrassing watching it. There should have been way more about his actual career and not all about how he made her feel.
Agreed, I know some people loved it, but I found it REALLY offputting. When she started singing, my husband and I turned to each other and said “what the F***.” Definitely more about her than him, and I say that as someone who generally delights in Babs’ camp theatrics.
I would have liked to have seen Jane included. They did 4 movies together that spanned their very lengthy careers and always expressed deep respect and love for one another
I couldn’t hear a word Barbara said because of the piano music. As well, I would have had her come out on stage singing memories & then go into her speech. Instead of talking and kind of wailing at the end. It was very disjointed.
Janet Fonda would have been the natural choice, yes.
People remember The Way We Were and the mega hit song that came from it. I find both the movie and the song schmaltzy. Jane has a point. She usually does.
It’s the worst.
I will ALWAYS regret that those ✨️TWO ICONS✨️ NEVA WORKED TOGETHER! The #Oscars missed an opportunity because I TOTALLY would have pushed for that if I were on the production team…having them BOTH come out & share memories…Jane speaks first…Babs sings last ✨️🎬✨️
I have a feeling the Academy calls up Streisand every year to ask her to present something and she only says yes if its what she wants to do. So basically if the Academy wants Streisand, they have to give her her way (remember a few years ago, when a Star is Born was nominated for Best Picture, and Babs presented Black Kklansman? That was definitely her choice. And lordy I just looked it up and that was 7 years ago.
and yes I think Jane would have been the better choice.
It sort of seems like every woman talks about how Robert Redford made them feel (being in love with him???) so I guess I didn’t even notice Barbara Streisand being out of the ordinary in her tribute haha.
I highly recommend Barefoot in the Park. Some of the jokes in the movie it took me years to get and they’re still funny to this day.
They are so cute together. And Mildred Natwick, the mom, was no slouch.
Barefoot In the Park is one of my all time favorite movies! A young Redford and Fonda are so adorable together as newly weds. And it is a funny and cute feel good movie.
And that crazy walk up apartment with the tiny bedroom!
And were they beyond beautiful in that movie or what? Plus Jane’s character shares my name and it was great as a kid to see a female with it. 😆
My favorite play and one of my all-time favorite movies. They were both perfect in their roles.
They missed a real opportunity here. Jane would have been so great. She’s funny, smart and has a worldview Barbra lacks. I was suffering second-hand embarrassment through that whole mess.
Yes, I agree – Jane would have made the tribute lighter and I think that she would have talked about his humanitarian side more. I thought about Jane when Babs walked out and wondered why she wasn’t up there instead/also.
Jane Fonda has a point — they had made most of their movies together while they were younger and I think when you bond in a job (particularly in the public eyet) in your younger years, it is a stronger bond. By the time Barbra and Robert worked together, they were well established.
I suspect Babs promised to sing at the show — but also remember she has bad stage fright, which may be why things with her presentation overall sounded disjointed. And while you think it is narcissistic to make it about herself — it is in a way — people have a tendency to tell stories about themselves with that person during eulogies/memorials.
Jane worked with him at all stages of his career too. She’d have real perspective. From early days in Tall Story (film debut for both!), The Chase and BITP to established megastars in Electric Horseman to aged stars in their twilight in Ours Souls at Night (his next to last film except for a cameo in Avengers Endgame and a voiceover.) She literally worked with him in his first film and practically his very last!
I’m not the biggest fan of Robert Redford the actor — Barefoot in the Park and The Natural are terrific films, and he and Streisand elevate The Way We Were’s dull script into something truly moving, but most of his performances and films do nothing for me. HOWEVER, Redford the environmental activist, Redford the Sundance founder, Redford who never got the merest hint of work done to his face and chose to show every year of his age on screen, Redford who, as far as I could tell, made it in a tough industry without surrendering his values or integrity — I always admired the hell of that man, and always will. Fonda is also a person of high integrity and a lifelong powerful activist, so I could see how they got along great and loved working together.
Sydney pollack had said the original reason Bob turned down the way we were (several times) was because of Barbra’s reputation for hitting on her leading man. And Redford didn’t mix acting and romance…
That’s what was so interesting about him. He was such a hot man but he didn’t seems to take advantage of his appeal. That’s rare. Women kind of chased him. It was his reserve. He wasn’t just going to hand it over; that’s a female trick. 🙂
Not true about not mixing acting and romance. Sonia Braga, Lena Olin, Daryl Hannah…
Idk. Streisand started singing “Memories,” and I teared up.
But I’d forgotten he did so many movies with Fonda. “Barefoot in the Park” is terrific. As is their last move, “Our Souls at Night,” about two older people who are long-term neighbors, and, both having lost their partners, decide to spend “evening time” together in bed and they eventually fall in love. It’s a sweet movie.
Team Jane. She and Redford had so much chemistry.
And The Way We Were is one of my least favorite movies ever. She chases him, catches him, he cheats on her. They divorce but it’s an epic love story? I don’t think so.
agree on all counts, KC2.
Redford wasn’t a huge fan of it himself. They had to beef up the role before he took it because he thought Hubbell had no backbone. And he still didn’t after the rewrites!
I’m cutting Barbra some slack because she’s 83 and the sound mixing was terrible all night. If the audience was having the same trouble hearing her as we were at home, she might have noticed that. But they could have included other people who knew him like with the Rob Reiner tribute.
I also love them together in Electric Cowboy. Once the film gets going and it’s just the two of them, it’s a delight. Plus the scenery is gorgeous.
They could have done more than 1 like Reiner’s had several actors or industry peeps. I wish his tribute was as more in depth. I guess i noticed what was a bit off is Barbara is 82. She seemed slow and like it was hard at that age to see. Our icons are old! I think she can’t move around stage as flawlessly and needed podium and microphone for support. Plus she generally has stage fright.
But yeah hysterical woman still fighting over Redford!!!!!
10000
They are going to have to get a handle on this because it’s going to be a mess from now on with people fighting over who gets an in person tribute and who gets to make it. I liked a lot of Billy Crystal’s tribute, but listing the films went long, considering that all the stars of his films were also appearing.
But next year it will be on YouTube, so no time limits and they can easily add an uncut Memorium