Streisand’s 40-second performance followed a heartfelt three-and-a-half minute spoken tribute, in which she reflected on Redford’s career, his principles, and the enduring relevance of the film. She described the late actor as having “real backbone on and off the screen,” praising his advocacy for freedom of the press, environmental protection, and support for emerging filmmakers through the Sundance Institute.
“After I read the first script of The Way We Were, I could only imagine one man in the role—and that was Robert Redford,” Streisand recounted. “He initially turned it down because he said the character had no backbone. He doesn’t stand for anything, and he was right. But after several drafts, Bob agreed, and we had a wonderful time playing off each other because we never quite knew what the other one would do.”
She went on to recall their personal friendship, sharing anecdotes about phone conversations and letters exchanged over the years. “As we were hanging up one day, he said, ‘Babs, I love you dearly and I always will.’ In the last note I ever wrote to Bob, I ended it with, ‘I love you too, and I signed it Babs.’”
Streisand’s appearance on the telecast, long rumored but highly anticipated, brought an unusual spark of energy, given that she has been largely retired from live performance since 2019. The singer admitted in past interviews that performing live still gives her the “willies.”
This was not the first time Streisand revived The Way We Were at the Oscars; she performed the song in 2013 to honor composer Marvin Hamlisch during that year’s In Memoriam segment.
Redford, who passed away in September at age 89, had also been remembered by Streisand on social media. She described their time on set as “exciting, intense, and pure joy” and praised his charisma, intelligence, and acting prowess.
The Way We Were was itself an award-winning collaboration: the song earned Hamlisch and his co-writers Alan and Marilyn Bergman the Oscar for Best Original Song in 1974, while Hamlisch also took home Best Original Score. Streisand earned a Best Actress nomination among the film’s six total, and the song later won the Grammy for Song of the Year in 1975 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008. Upon release, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and became the title track of a Streisand solo album.
Streisand’s tribute at the Oscars served as both a celebration of a legendary actor and a reminder of the enduring power of a film and song that remain culturally significant nearly five decades later.
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