Streisand / Movies

BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center

New York

April 29, 2017

Tribeca Talks: Storytellers, which spotlights pioneering creators who work across mediums to tell their stories, featured Barbra Streisand in conversation with director Robert Rodriguez at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center in New York on Saturday, April 29, 2017. 

The Hollywood Reporter summed up the evening:

"A lot of you are probably wondering why I'm here," Rodriguez said to the crowd. Apparently, his Streisand fandom dates back to his boyhood, growing up in a 10-child household in San Antonio, TX. "In our household, there was no bigger star than Barbra Streisand," he explained to a crowd that needed no converting. "My mom loved to talk to her 10 children about two things: God and Barbra Streisand."

Over the course of 70 minutes (which included a Q&A section at the end) Streisand and Rodriguez talked about her legendary filmography, her pioneering work as a female director and why you can't bring up walls in her presence. Here are a few highlights.

Shutting Down the Stories About Her Fighting With Funny Girl Director William Wyler

"I learned to despise the media [working on that movie]. Every time I had a suggestion [on set] it was put in the paper like we were fighting." Why? "Opinions weren't popular in the '60s with women." In real life, she said she got along quite well with "Willy Wyler," recalling that he would run dailies by her and that they kept in touch until his death.

The Director She DID Have Issues With

"That was tough," she recalled of working with director Frank Pierson on the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born. "I was, in a sense, blackmailed into having that director," she said, explaining that Pierson used his script as leverage to get into the director's chair. 

Career Priorities

"I would say I'm an actress first, only because I started singing because I couldn't get a job as an actress, and I started directing because I couldn't be heard as an actress."

Yentl Backlash

While Yentl received praise in many quarters, Streisand said she tends to forget good reviews and focuses on the negative ones instead. Looking back on it now, she admitted, "[The criticism] must have hurt me more than I thought because I didn't want to direct for years after that."

Her Early Career Idol

"Johnny Mathis. He was so beautiful, those dark eyes…. And he seemed like he was in pain a bit. I'm always drawn to pain."

Why She Loves Directing Herself

"There's less people to argue with."

On Female Directors

"I love when I see a woman's name on a movie and I pray it's good."

On Fear & He Who Must Not Be Named

Streisand: "Fear is an engine to create."
Rodriguez: "That's great – you turn fear into an engine, not a wall."
Streisand: "Don't mention a wall to me."

Sources For This Page:

• Tribeca: Barbra Streisand Reflects on Acting Career, Directing Struggles. 4/29/2017 by Joe Lynch, Billboard.
• Barbra Streisand: 'Not enough women are directing now' The star talked talent, fear, and tearing down walls at the Tribeca Film Festival. 4/30/2017 by Joe McGovern, Entertainment Weekly.
• Barbra Streisand Talks Filmmaking, Music & ‘A Star Is Born’ Clashes – Tribeca. 4/29/2017 by Brian Brooks, Deadline.

End / Tribeca Talks: Storytellers 2017