Jane Fonda Shades 'Reclusive' Barbra Streisand's Emotional Oscars Tribute to Robert Redford — 'She Only Made One Movie With Him, I Made Four'
Jane Fonda claimed she knew Robert Redford far better than Barbra Streisand.
March 16 2026, Published 3:10 p.m. ET
Jane Fonda was none too pleased that Barbra Streisand was given the plum assignment of delivering the Robert Redford In Memoriam tribute at the 2026 Oscars, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Streisand, 83, took the stage on March 15 to recall her time with the late film icon in 1973's The Way We Were and their enduring friendship afterward. It left Fonda, 88, fuming and raging, as she knew Redford far better after appearing in four movies together.
'I Have More to Say' About Robert Redford
Jane Fonda gloated that she made 'four' movies with Robert Redford for Barbra Streisand's 'one.'
Streisand got more than four minutes onstage, where she rhapsodized about how much Redford "loved" her and went on to sing the theme song from The Way We Were.
"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 scoffed to Entertainment Tonight while attending the Vanity Fair Oscars party.
"I have more to say," the Hollywood legend proclaimed.
Fonda and Redford's friendship spanned more than 60 years after co-starring in 1966's The Chase, Barefoot in the Park the following year, 1979's smash The Electric Horseman, and 2017's Our Souls at Night.
Jane Fonda Was 'Always in Love' With Robert Redford
Jane Fonda and Robert Redford cuddled at the 2017 Venice Film Festival while promoting 'Our Souls at Night.'
When asked what she'd like to say about Redford, Fonda raved about her close pal.
"I was always in love with him," she gushed, calling him "The most gorgeous human being and such great values, and he did a lot for movies. He really changed movies, lifted up independent movies."
Redford died on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. His cause of death was never revealed.
At the time of his passing, the 80 for Brady star said she "couldn't stop crying" about the loss.
"It hit me hard this morning when I read that Bob was gone. I can’t stop crying. He meant a lot to me and was a beautiful person in every way. He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for," Fonda shared in a statement at the time.
Barbra Streisand Breaks Cover for Rare Oscars Appearance
Barbra Streisand gave a lengthy tribute to Robert Redford at the 2026 Oscars.
Streisand was accused by some viewers of making Redford's Oscars tribute "all about herself."
The reclusive actress/director walked onstage and told the story of how she personally convinced him to star in the romantic drama The Way We Were.
"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," Streisand recalled.
"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," the A Star Is Born actress raved.
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'Babs, I Love You Dearly'
Barbra Streisand used her Robert Redford tribute to give a rare vocal performance.
"I miss him now more than ever, even though he loved teasing me. He called me Babs, and I’d say, 'Bob, come on, do I look like a Babs?' I'm not a Babs, you know? But the way he said it made me laugh," Streisand shared.
"And many years later, we were chatting on the phone about the usual — politics, art, [Italian painter and sculptor] Modigliani, our favorite — and as we were hanging up, he said, '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 Funny Girl star described, then broke out in the theme song from The Way We Were in a rare vocal performance.
While some fans said the moment brought them "to tears," others were more critical.
"Bringing her out, IMO, having her sing & then saying thank you thank you, made it about her," one person jeered about Streisand.
"In Memoriam to focus on yourself. Complete cringe and very distracting," a second viewer scoffed about her Redford tribute.
