Barbra Streisand Reveals Her Final Note to Robert Redford at...

But that opportunity almost didn’t come to pass. Despite Barbra and director Sydney Pollack’s insistence that he be cast as Hubbell to her Katie in The Way We Were, Robert turned down the role multiple times. “I have to give Sydney credit. He was as persistent as I was, because we both felt that only Redford would make the picture work,” she wrote in her 2023 memoir My Name Is Barbra. “It’s like playing tennis…I knew my own game would go up when I was opposite a strong player.” But Robert wouldn’t budge, telling them he felt the character wasn’t developed enough, which led to Barbra and Sydney bringing in writers to add “more scenes to strengthen his character.” “The courtship had been tough,” Barbra said, “but Bob’s reluctance had a big influence on the script and ultimately resulted in a richer, more interesting character.” For a look at more stars celebrating the 2026 Academy Awards, keep reading.