Hollywood paused for a moment of remembrance and reflection during the 2026 Academy Awards as Barbra Streisand paid a deeply personal tribute to her longtime friend and The Way We Were co-star Robert Redford, who passed away at the age of 89.
The tribute unfolded during the ceremony’s In Memoriam segment at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, hosted by Conan O’Brien, where Streisand appeared on stage in an elegant black gown to remember the man she once described as one of the finest actors she had ever worked with.
For Streisand, the tribute was not only about Redford’s cinematic legacy—it was about a friendship built over decades.
“I miss him now more than ever, even how he loved teasing me,” Barbra shared. “He’d call me, ‘Babs.’ And I’d say, ‘Bob, you know, do I look like a Babs?’ But the way he said it made me laugh.”
The memory drew a warm response from the audience, offering a glimpse into the playful dynamic between two of Hollywood’s most iconic stars.
A Friendship That Endured Beyond the Screen
Streisand recalled one of the last conversations she had with Redford—an exchange that would stay with her long after the phone call ended.
“Many years later, we were chatting on the phone about the usual, politics, art, Modigliani—our favorite,” she continued. “And as we were hanging up, he said, ‘Babs, I love you dearly, and I always will.’”
The moment left a profound impression on her. When she later wrote to him, she ended the message with a quiet echo of that conversation.
“I ended it with, ‘I love you too,’ and I signed it ‘Babs.’”
Remembering an “Intellectual Cowboy”
As she addressed the audience, Streisand spoke not only about Redford the actor, but also about the man whose influence extended far beyond film.
She reflected on his lifelong advocacy—from defending freedom of the press to protecting the environment and founding the Sundance Institute, an institution that helped shape generations of independent filmmakers.
“He was thoughtful and bold,” she said. “I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail.”
The Song That Defined a Generation
Following her tribute, Streisand delivered a moving performance of “The Way We Were,” the Oscar-winning title song from the 1973 film that brought the two stars together on screen.
The song—one of the most recognizable ballads in film history—won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1974 and became forever associated with the bittersweet romance between Streisand’s Katie and Redford’s Hubbell.
Memories From the Set
In the months following Redford’s death on September 16 at his home in Sundance, Utah, Streisand had already reflected on their collaboration, recalling how electrifying their time together had been while filming The Way We Were.
She once described the experience simply: every day on set was “exciting, intense and pure joy.”
Their differences, she noted, were striking but fascinating.
“We were such opposites: he was from the world of horses; I was allergic to them!” she wrote in a social media tribute. “Yet, we kept trying to find out more about each other, just like the characters in the movie. Bob was charismatic, intelligent, intense, always interesting—and one of the finest actors ever.”
Streisand also remembered the last time they met in person, when Redford joined her for lunch and the two spent the afternoon discussing art.
“He was one of a kind,” she added, “and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.”
A Role That Almost Didn’t Happen
Ironically, Redford’s legendary role in The Way We Were nearly never came to life.
Streisand later revealed that both she and director Sydney Pollack had to work tirelessly to convince him to accept the part of Hubbell Gardiner.
“I have to give Sydney credit. He was as persistent as I was, because we both felt that only Redford would make the picture work,” she wrote in her memoir My Name Is Barbra. “It’s like playing tennis…I knew my own game would go up when I was opposite a strong player.”
Redford initially declined the role several times, believing the character needed greater depth. His hesitation ultimately led to revisions in the script that expanded Hubbell’s story.
“The courtship had been tough,” Streisand later recalled, “but Bob’s reluctance had a big influence on the script and ultimately resulted in a richer, more interesting character.”
A Film That Became a Cultural Classic
When The Way We Were premiered in 1973, it became a major commercial success, eventually earning tens of millions at the box office and securing a place among the most memorable romantic films of its era.
Critics offered mixed reactions at the time, but the undeniable chemistry between Streisand and Redford helped transform the film into a lasting cultural touchstone.
Today, their performances—and the haunting melody of its title song—remain symbols of one of Hollywood’s most unforgettable on-screen partnerships.
A Final Farewell
At the 2026 Oscars, Streisand’s tribute served as both a farewell and a celebration of a friendship that shaped one of cinema’s most beloved love stories.
Through laughter, music, and memories shared with millions watching around the world, she reminded the audience why Robert Redford’s legacy continues to resonate—not only as a legendary actor, but as a trailblazer whose influence stretched far beyond the screen.