Barbara Streisand's Tribute to Robert Redford at the Oscars Was Simply Perfect

"But he turned it down because he said the character had no backbone. He doesn't stand for anything. And he was right. 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 in a scene."

"He spoke up to defend freedom of the press, protect the environment, and encourage new voices at his Sundance Institute, some of whom are up for Oscars tonight. He was thoughtful and bold. I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail. And I miss him now more than ever."

"Babs, I love you dear. 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."

At the 98th Academy Awards, Barbara Streisand delivered a tribute to Robert Redford during the In Memoriam segment, closing the remembrance with a performance of 'The Way We Were.' Streisand recalled that Redford initially declined the male lead role in their 1973 film because he felt the character lacked backbone, but eventually accepted after script revisions. She praised his subtle acting abilities and their dynamic chemistry on set. Beyond his film career, Streisand highlighted Redford's commitment to defending press freedom, protecting the environment, and nurturing new talent through his Sundance Institute. She described him as an 'intellectual cowboy' and shared intimate details of their final conversations, expressing her deep affection and loss.

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