At the 98th Academy Awards in Los Angeles, barbra streisand honored her friend and former co-star Robert Redford with a musical tribute, singing a portion of the title song from their 1973 film The Way We Were.
Barbra Streisand’s Onstage Tribute To Robert Redford
The actor and singer, 83, reflected on the respect and affection she and Redford shared after starring together in The Way We Were. She reminded the audience that the film also addressed a darker chapter of American life, describing the late 1940s and early 1950s as a period when people informed on one another and faced loyalty oaths.
From the stage, she praised Redford’s political courage, saying he defended the freedom of the press, worked to protect the environment, and encouraged new voices through the Sundance institute. She called him “an intellectual cowboy” who “blazed his own trail, ” and shared that in her last note to him she said she loved him before beginning to sing.
barbra streisand’s return to the ceremony marked a poignant echo of a past appearance; her last time performing on the Oscars stage was 13 years ago, when she sang the same song to honor its late composer Marvin Hamlisch during the In Memoriam segment.
Redford’s Legacy At The Academy
Redford’s long relationship with the Academy included a best director win for his debut feature Ordinary People in 1980 and an honorary Academy Award two decades later, presented to him by Streisand in 2002. The filmmaker and Sundance founder died in September 2025 at age 89. In her remembrance at the time, Streisand praised his charisma, intelligence, intensity, and craft, recalling their time together on The Way We Were.
Highlights From The 98th Oscars
The ceremony at the Dolby Theatre, hosted by Conan O’Brien and airing on ABC with streaming on Hulu, featured several notable moments and winners alongside Streisand’s tribute:
- “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters won best original song. The performance included glowing lightsticks placed under guests’ seats.
- Norway’s Sentimental Value won best international feature film, introduced by Javier Bardem with Priyanka Chopra Jonas.
- Autumn Durald Arkapaw won best cinematography for Sinners, making history as the first woman and first Black person to win the award. She acknowledged earlier trailblazers Rachel Morrison and Ellen Kuras in her speech.
- Andy Jurgensen won best film editing for One Battle after Another, presented by Bill Pullman and his son Lewis Pullman.
- The team of Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Gary A. Rizzo, and Juan Peralta won best sound for F1.
The night also included a comic reunion bit from the Bridesmaids cast and a crowd moment involving Leonardo DiCaprio that quickly drew attention in the room.
