Barbra Streisand on The Project. Photo / Channel 10
Barbra Streisand on The Project. Photo / Channel 10
At 79 years old and with a hugely successful career spanning more than 60 years, Barbra Streisand's certainly earned the right to say whatever is on her mind.
And that's exactly what she did during a surprisingly unvarnished interview on The Sunday Project, offering frank appraisals of two of music's biggest stars when prompted by interviewer Lisa Wilkinson.
Streisand's first eyebrow-raising answer came when Wilkinson asked about the tribute Beyonce had performed when Streisand received her Kennedy Centre honour in 2008.
Wilkinson set Streisand up to offer a gushing compliment about Beyonce's "magical" rendition of her song The Way We Were, asking the entertainment legend: "Was that as powerful as it looked?"
"Well, she first sang it once, and I didn't think it was good enough, for her. I always think like a director, and I want the best for my actors and singers. I know she did it over, and she did it beautifully the second time," she revealed.
Wilkinson asked if Beyonce knew Streisand didn't think the first take of the performance was up to scratch.
"I think she knew it. I think she was the one who actually asked to do it over."
Barbra Streisand was very honest about her opinions of 2018's A Star Is Born starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Photo / Supplied
Not content to shake up the Beyhive, Streisand then risked the wrath of Lady Gaga fans when she offered up some frank opinions about Gaga and Bradley Cooper's 2018 remake of A Star Is Born. Streisand had previously starred in a 1976 version of the movie musical.
Once again, Wilkinson offered a very positive question – and got a very different response.
Noting that Judy Garland had played the role before her and Gaga after, Wilkinson called it "an extraordinary line-up of female talent".
"Let's talk about that a bit," Streisand began. "When I did A Star Is Born, I thought Judy Garland was so great in it, I thought I'd have to change it. [My character] became a guitar-playing singer-songwriter, and we changed the story a bit.
"At first, when I heard it was going to be done again, it was supposed to be Will Smith and Beyonce, and I thought, that's interesting. Really make it different again; different kind of music. I thought that was a great idea, so I was surprised when I saw how alike it was to the version that I did in 1976."
"Well, that's probably a compliment to you," Wilkinson suggested.
"I don't know, but I thought it was the wrong idea. Look, it was a big success, but I don't care so much about success as I do originality."
Phew. More of this please, celebrities! Tell us what you really think. Viewers ate it up:
Barbara Streisand drippings shade on Bradley Coopers A Star is Born is hilarious #TheProjectTV
Streisand dissing Beyoncé’s Kennedy Center performance on #TheProjectTV has given me LIFE! That is the greatest thing I’ve heard this year. Hahhah! Thank you Barbra.
