Barbra Streisand opened up about her early encounters with sexism, revealing a distressing incident with Sydney Chaplin. This occurrence exacerbated her stage fright, leading to a 27-year hiatus from live concerts, preceding the release of her memoir.
Recalling her challenging past during the Broadway run of Funny Girl in the 1960s, the 81-year-old singer and actor shared the distressing situation with Sydney Chaplin, describing his reactions when she rejected his affections. Streisand conveyed that his cruel behavior left her disconcerted and ultimately led to her live performance withdrawal.
The incidents with Chaplin were part of Streisand’s encounters with challenging male colleagues, including Walter Matthau, who used demeaning language towards her on the set of Hello, Dolly!, and Frank Pierson, the director of the 1976 A Star is Born, who publicly criticized her as a control freak.
In her memoir, Streisand also detailed encounters with various admirers, such as Omar Sharif, King Charles (then Prince Charles), and Marlon Brando, depicting instances where their actions displayed infatuation or admiration toward her.
Addressing past comments about her appearance and navigating the challenges in her career, Streisand expressed a deep longing for a more fulfilling life. She spoke candidly about her father’s sudden death when she was a toddler, her stepfather’s emotional distance, and her early aspirations to become an actress.
Beginning her journey to stardom in 1960 after winning a talent contest, Streisand pursued her dreams, achieving success in Broadway, films, and the music industry, later reaching remarkable milestones in her career, including her directorial debut in Yentl.
Amid her memoir’s revelations dispelling certain myths about her, Streisand also reminisced about moments of star behavior, including the incident where she contacted Apple CEO Tim Cook regarding the pronunciation of her name by Siri.
Throughout her incredible journey, Streisand expressed her wish to live a fuller, happier life, free from past hardships and enjoy moments with her husband, actor James Brolin, and their children.
