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Jane Fonda Questions Barbra Streisand's Tribute to Robert Redford

By    |   Tuesday, 17 March 2026 12:16 PM EDT

Jane Fonda questioned why fellow actor Barbra Streisand was selected to honor Robert Redford during the In Memoriam segment at the 98th Academy Awards.

Fonda pointed to her own history of working with the late actor.

"I want to know how come Streisand was up there doing that for Redford?" Fonda, 88, said Sunday in remarks to Entertainment Tonight at an Oscars night party. 

She added, "She only made one movie with him. I made four. I have more to say."

Redford, who died on Sept. 16 at age 89, was among those recognized during the ceremony's tribute segment.

Streisand, 83, appeared onstage to deliver remarks about her former co-star, with whom she appeared in the 1973 film "The Way We Were."

During the tribute, Streisand described Redford as "a brilliant, subtle actor," according to Deadline

She recalled having "a wonderful time playing off each other" during scenes because neither one "quite knew what the other one was going to do in the scene." 

Streisand also praised his character and advocacy, stating he had "real backbone on and off the screen."

"He spoke up to defend freedom of the press, protect the environment, and encouraged new voices at his Sundance Institute, some of whom are up for Oscars tonight, which is so great," she said. "He was thoughtful and bold.

"I called him an intellectual cowboy who blazed his own trail, and won the Academy Award for best director, and I miss him now more than ever."

Streisand's appearance included her performing a portion of the film's title song.

Fonda, who co-starred with Redford in four films — 1960's "The Tall Story," 1966's "The Chase," 1967's "Barefoot in the Park" and 2017's "Our Souls at Night" — spoke warmly about her late colleague despite her remarks about the tribute.

She said she "was always in love with 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," she said.

In a statement shared on the day of Redford's death, Fonda said, "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."

Reflecting more broadly on the ceremony, Fonda noted that the film industry lost many prominent figures over the past year.

"We lost a lot of really talented people," she said. 

Asked about a separate tribute led by Rachel McAdams honoring "Book Club" co-star Diane Keaton, Fonda said she had not seen it but added that "her passing hit me really hard."

The In Memoriam segment also recognized several other prominent figures from the industry, including Rob Reiner, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Catherine O'Hara, Val Kilmer, and Robert Duvall.

Zoe Papadakis

Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


TheWire
Jane Fonda questioned why fellow actor Barbra Streisand was selected to honor Robert Redford during the In Memoriam segment at the 98th Academy Awards, with Fonda pointing to her own history of working with the late actor.
jane fonda, barbra streisand, robert redford, oscars, tribute
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2026-16-17
Tuesday, 17 March 2026 12:16 PM
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