Did Robert Redford And Barbra Streisand Ever Date? He Once Told Her In A Call, 'I Love You Dearly'

Robert Redford passed on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. Before he was a strong supporter of independent cinema and also turned director, Robert had left many hearts fluttering with his sandy blonde hair and unforgettable good looks as the leading man of Hollywood. Although he has given many memorable movies, Robert and Barbra Streisand's fiery chemistry in the film The Way We Were made them one of the most iconic on-screen couples in Hollywood. 

Although the two never collaborated on another movie after this, their closeness remained a subject of speculation for quite some time. Many people believed that the chemistry between Robert and Barbara was more than just acting. As Barbra Streisand recently paid tribute to her The Way We Were co-star after his passing, here's what she wrote about their relationship in her memoir. 

Were Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford in a relationship? 

Barbra Streisand, in her 2023 memoir My Name Is Barbara, wrote that she became very good friends with Robert Redford after working with him on their very successful 1973 film, The Way We Were. In fact, Barbara, who played 'Katie Morosky', was the one to convince Robert to star as the male lead, 'Hubbell Gardiner'. Although Robert was known for his good looks, Barbra wanted him as her co-star because of his 'complexity' as an actor. 

Barbara stated in her book that Robert and she were genuinely curious about each other, and that is what the actress believes the viewers were able to perceive on the screen. Talking about her experience while working with Robert Redford, Barbara shared:

“He and I had a real rapport and the audience could sense it. It’s hard to explain why a certain combination of two actors works, but in one interview, Bob tried: ‘Barbra…her femininity brings out the masculinity in a man, and her masculinity brings out a man’s femininity, vulnerability, romanticism, whatever you want to call it.’ No wonder I liked him. He’s very perceptive.”

Robert Redford thought that Barbra Streisand was reportedly 'infatuated' with him 

Barbra Streisand had revealed that Robert Redford did not want to star in their film, The Way We Were. The actor felt that the story was too focused on 'Katie's character meanwhile, his role of 'Hubbell' was one-dimensional. Barbra, who was sure of the fact that Robert was the best choice for the role, had convinced director, Sydney Pollack to make changes to the male lead character. Writer, Robert Hofler, had also written in his book about the behind-the-scenes of the 1973 movie, that Robert did not want to work with Barbara. As Hofler wrote, Robert had reportedly said:

“Her reputation is as a very controlling person. She will direct herself. It’ll never work."

Hofler also said that Robert Redford was quite convinced that Barbra Streisand was infatuated with him. The actress has maintained the fact that they were co-stars turned friends and does not mention anything about her alleged attraction to Robert in her memoir. However, in his book, Hofler wrote that Robert wore extra clothing during an intimate scene with Barbra in the movie to 'protect' himself. 

When Robert Redford said, 'I Love You dearly' to Barbra Streisand 

Barbra Streisand was on a quest to recover some of the missing scenes from their film, The Way We Were, in order to release an extended version of the film for its 50th anniversary in 2023. In her memoir, the actress revealed that she had called Robert Redford during this time and they talked for over an hour. Barbra stated that they still had the sweet connection they had when the two were filming together in the '70s. About their phone call, Barbra shared:

“When we were hanging up, he said, ‘I gotta go, Babs. I love you dearly, and I always will. I told him, ‘I love talking to you,’ and he said, ‘I love talking to you. I always do.’ It was a sweet reminder that the connection we had during that movie still exists."

Barbra Streisand's tribute to the late actor and friend, Robert Redford

After Robert Redford's passing away was announced by his publicist, many of his former co-stars took to their social media to share messages praising him. Barbra Streisand also shared a tribute for Robert, who will both be remembered forever as 'Katie' and 'Hubbell'. The actress wrote on her Instagram page:

"We were such opposites: he was from the world of horses; I was allergic to them! Yet, we kept trying to find out more about each other, just like the characters in the movie. Bob was charismatic, intelligent, intense, always interesting— and one of the finest actors ever. The last time I saw him, when he came to lunch, we discussed art and decided to send each other our first drawings. He was one of a kind and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with him.”

What are your thoughts on the friendship between Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford? Let us know. 

Also Read: Robert Redford Dies At The Age Of 89, Oscar-Winning Actor-Director Death REASON Revealed

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