Barbra Streisand Reveals Her Final Note to Robert Redford at Oscars

Barbra Streisand has some misty watercolor memories of Robert Redford.

It was so moving to see Barbra Streisand honor Robert Redford at the Oscars this year. It’s been six months since we lost him, and she looked beautiful in black as she walked on stage at the Dolby Theatre. Conan O’Brien was hosting, and during the In Memoriam segment, Barbra shared a sweet memory of how Robert used to playfully tease her. It really felt like a perfect tribute to a legend.

Barbra fondly remembered how much she missed him, even the playful teasing. He used to call her ‘Babs,’ and she’d jokingly protest, ‘Bob, do I look like a Babs?’ But she admitted his delivery always made her laugh.

She recalled that they were talking on the phone, discussing typical topics like politics and art, especially their shared love of Modigliani. As the call was ending, he told her, ‘Babs, I love you very much, and I always will.’

The phone call really stuck with Barbra and influenced the final message she wrote to Robert. She finished by saying, “I love you too,” and signed it simply, “Babs.”

Barbra enthusiastically praised her former colleague, highlighting his dedication to important causes like press freedom and environmental protection, as well as his creation of the Sundance Institute.

She described him as both a deep thinker and a courageous person. She even called him an ‘intellectual cowboy’ – someone who was smart and independent, forging his own path in life.

The 83-year-old then sang a deeply moving version of the song “The Way We Were,” which famously won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1974.

After Robert passed away at his home in Sundance, Utah, on September 16th, Barbra Streisand remembered working with him on the film The Way We Were. She said that every day they spent filming together was filled with excitement, passion, and happiness.

She shared on Instagram last year how different she and her husband were – he loved horses, while she was allergic! Despite this, they were drawn to learning about each other, much like the characters in a film. She described him as charming, smart, passionate, and always captivating – truly one of the greatest actors of all time.

The actress from Funny Girl also remembered the last time she saw Robert, explaining that he met her for lunch where they talked about art and agreed to mail each other their earliest drawings.

She said he was truly unique, and she felt lucky to have worked with him.

However, that chance nearly slipped away. Although Barbra Streisand and director Sydney Pollack were determined to have Robert Redford play Hubbell opposite her Katie in The Way We Were, he initially refused the part several times.

In her 2023 memoir, My Name Is Barbra, Barbra Streisand praised Sydney Pollack’s dedication, explaining that they both believed Robert Redford was essential to the success of the film. She compared the experience to a tennis match, noting that competing against a skilled player always pushed her to improve her own performance.

Robert remained firm, explaining that the character needed more development. This led Barbra and Sydney to hire writers to create additional scenes and build the character’s depth.

Barbra explained that dating Bob was challenging, but his hesitation actually made the character in their script more complex and compelling.

For a look at more stars celebrating the 2026 Academy Awards, keep reading.