Barbra Streisand paid tribute to Robert Redford on Sept. 16, calling the actor "one of a kind" and recalling their partnership on the 1973 film The Way We Were.
"Every day on the set of The Way We Were was exciting, intense and pure joy," Streisand wrote on Instagram, adding that the two were "such opposites" who nonetheless tried to learn more about each other, much like their characters. She described Redford as "charismatic, intelligent, intense, always interesting — and one of the finest actors ever." Streisand, 83, said the last time she saw him they discussed art and decided to exchange their first drawings.
Redford died Sept. 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah, his representatives said. Rogers & Cowan PMK chief executive Cindi Berger told The Post that he was surrounded by those he loved. A cause of death was not disclosed and the family asked for privacy.
One of Redford’s best-known roles was Hubbell Gardiner in Sydney Pollack’s The Way We Were, opposite Streisand’s Katie Morosky. The Oscar-winning film charts the romance between a politically engaged Jewish woman and a more carefree WASP, and its title song, performed by Streisand, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
In her 2023 memoir, My Name Is Barbra, Streisand wrote that she had been drawn to Redford not simply for his looks but for his complexity and restraint on screen. "You never quite know what he’s thinking, and that makes him fascinating to watch," she wrote, calling him a rare combination of "an intellectual cowboy" and a charismatic star.
Accounts of their relationship have varied. Robert Hofler’s 2023 book The Way They Were includes allegations about tensions during the film’s production, including claims that Redford was initially reluctant to work with Streisand and resisted certain scenes. The book also reports anecdotes about their on-set interactions; those items are presented in the book as claims. Streisand has written that Redford expressed concern that his character was underdeveloped, and she pushed for changes that she said strengthened his role.
Streisand said they developed a "real rapport" during filming, though she described Redford as a "loner" who did not spend much time socializing on set at first, which she said helped them find their onscreen chemistry. She recalled long conversations over the years about film, politics and art. When they last spoke, according to Streisand, Redford signed off with, "I gotta go, Babs. I love you dearly, and I always will."
Streisand concluded her tribute by saying she was grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Redford and called him "one of the finest actors of his generation." The statement from his representatives said he will be missed greatly and reiterated the family's request for privacy as arrangements are made.