Barbra Streisand's Cannes Exit Sparks Health Fears After Icon, 84, Abruptly Pulls Out of Festival Appearance
Barbra Streisand pulled out of attending the 2026 Cannes Film Festival at the last minute.
May 18 2026, Published 2:10 p.m. ET
Reclusive screen icon Barbra Streisand stunned fans after abruptly pulling out of plans to accept her honorary Palme d'Or in person at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 84-year-old legend had been expected to appear in France on May 23, but announced she would no longer make the overseas trip on the "advice" of her doctors, immediately sparking fresh fears about the notoriously private star’s health.
Barbra Streisand Reveals She Suffered a Knee Injury
Streisand won't be on hand to accept her Palme D'Or Award due to her doctors' advice against traveling overseas.
"On the advice of my doctors, as I continue recovering from a knee injury, I am sadly unable to attend the Festival de Cannes this year," the A Star Is Born actress revealed in a May 17 statement. "But I am deeply honored to receive the honorary Palme d'Or and had so been looking forward to celebrating the remarkable films of the 79th edition."
“She continued, 'I was also very much looking forward to spending time with colleagues whom I so admire – and, of course, returning to France, a place I have always loved."
"While I regret that I can't be there in person, I want to extend my warmest congratulations to all of the filmmakers from around the world whose extraordinary talent and creative vision are being celebrated this year," Streisand concluded.
Streisand was set to receive the prestigious award during the festival’s closing ceremony. This year's two other honorary Palme d’Or recipients, John Travolta and director Peter Jackson, have already received their honors during the current festival schedule.
Barbra Streisasnd Makes a Rare Appearance at 2026 Oscars
Streisand was last seen in public giving the Robert Redford tribute at the 2026 Oscars.
Streisand did not elaborate on how or when she injured her knee or the severity of the ailment.
Her last public appearance was a surprise slot at the 2025 Oscars, where she appeared onstage to deliver an in memoriam tribute to her late The Way We Were co-star Robert Redford, who died in September 2025 at the age of 89.
"After I read the first script for The Way We Were, I could only imagine one man in the role of Hubbell, and that was Robert Redford. But he turned it down because he said the character had no backbone. He doesn’t stand for anything. And he was right," the Funny Girl star described how he ended up being cast in the 1973 romantic drama.
"So many drafts later, Bob finally agreed to do it. He was a brilliant, subtle actor, and we had a wonderful time playing off each other, because we never quite knew what the other one was going to do or say. And I'm thrilled that The Way We Were is now considered a classic love story," Streisand raved.
The icon thrilled viewers with a rare vocal performance during the telecast.
Streisand went on to describe how Redford was one of the few people she accepted calling her by the nickname "Babs."
She recalled that at the end of one of their last phone calls, Redford told her, "Babs, I love you dearly, and I always will.' And in the last note I ever wrote to Bob, I ended it with, 'I love you too.' And I signed it: 'Babs.'"
The actress-director then launched into a surprise vocal performance, singing part of The Way We Were's epic theme song, accompanied by the Oscars orchestra.
Jane Fonda Fumes That She Should Have Delivered the Robert Redford Tribute
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Jane Fonda was livid that the Motion Picture Academy selected Streisand over her to deliver the Robert Redford Oscars tribute.
Streisand's tribute wasn't a hit with some, as raged that she knew Redford far better and had a much longer working relationship with the movie heartthrob.
"I want to know how come Streisand was up there doing that for Redford. She only made one movie with him. I made four," Fonda, 88, scoffed to Entertainment Tonight at the Vanity Fair Oscars party, sneering, "I have more to say."
Fonda and Redford's very close friendship spanned more than 60 years, as the duo co-starred in 1966's The Chase, 1967's Barefoot in the Park, 1979's smash The Electric Horseman, and 2017's Our Souls at Night.
