Barbra Streisand Finally Shares Her Story In 'My Name Is Barbra'

Why Barbra Streisand Hesitated to Write Her Memoir

For decades, the world-renowned singer and actress Barbra Streisand has received countless offers to pen a book about her life. But for more than 40 years, she declined every single one. “I kept turning them down because I prefer to live in the present,” she confesses in her long-awaited memoir, My Name Is Barbra. Streisand also admitted to being scared. “After six decades of people making up stories about me,” she explains, “I worried that when I tell the truth, nobody is going to believe it.”

Barbra’s Early Career and First Marriage

Despite her incredible success—earning two Oscars, eight Grammys, and selling millions of records—Barbra spent years searching for personal fulfillment. At the tender age of 19, she met actor Elliott Gould while they starred together in I Can Get It for You Wholesale, the play that would catapult Barbra to stardom. “I still wasn’t sure I was ready for marriage,” she recalls, but despite her doubts, they eloped and tied the knot in Las Vegas. It was a whirlwind romance that set the stage for her early adulthood.

Her Broadway Breakthrough and Stage Fright

In 1964, Barbra made her Broadway debut in Funny Girl, starring opposite Sydney Chaplin, the son of legendary Charlie Chaplin. From the start, there was an undeniable chemistry between them. “When you’re playing a character who falls in love,” she reflects, “sometimes the two people actually do fall in love.” However, Barbra felt conflicted about her marriage to Elliott and chose to distance herself from Sydney. This decision infuriated Sydney, who spent the next year deliberately undermining Barbra on stage. It was a pivotal moment that deepened her lifelong struggle with stage fright.

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The End of a Marriage

Barbra’s relationship with Sydney accelerated the unraveling of her marriage. She and Elliott separated in 1969 and officially divorced in 1971, just five years after the birth of their son, Jason. “He was, and always has been, the best gift,” Barbra says of her son. Despite the heartbreak, she cherishes the time they shared and the life they created together.

Barbra’s Love Life: From Hollywood Icons to World Leaders

In her memoir, Barbra recounts her romances with some of the most famous figures in entertainment and politics. She remembers her on-screen chemistry with Omar Sharif during the filming of Funny Girl, her brief fling with actor Anthony Newley, and even her flirtation with Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. “My fantasy was I would move to Canada and really learn French,” she says with a laugh. However, at 27 to his 50, their lives were in different places. Around this time, Marlon Brando became a close confidante. “I would stay on the phone with Marlon Brando for hours,” she shares, revealing the depth of their friendship.

Barbra and Ryan O’Neal: A Romantic but Fleeting Connection

Barbra also speaks fondly of Ryan O’Neal, her co-star in two films. “He brought some laughter into my life,” she says, but acknowledges that their romance wasn’t meant to last. “I think I was too serious for Ryan,” she admits, highlighting the complexities of her relationships during this period of her life.

Barbra’s Turbulent Relationships

Jon Peters, her hairdresser-turned-producer of A Star Is Born, was Barbra’s love from 1973 to 1982. However, she realized their life together was too tumultuous. “I’d prefer to have all this drama in my movies, not in my life,” she quips. Other relationships with composers Peter Matz, Richard Baskin, and James Newton Howard, actor Don Johnson, and tennis pro Andre Agassi blossomed but eventually faded. “I kept choosing unavailable men,” Barbra confesses. “There was something that scared me about relationships.”

Barbra Finds Love with James Brolin

Barbra’s life changed when she met James Brolin in 1996, thanks to a mutual friend. At that point, both were in their 50s and had largely given up on finding love. “Jim and I met at a point in my life when I had basically given up on finding someone,” she says. “And frankly, I was all right with being on my own.” But Brolin’s honesty, emotional availability, and quick wit won her over. For the first time, Barbra felt truly fulfilled. “I no longer had to rely on work for satisfaction,” she shares. “I was happy to set it aside so I could spend more time with Jim.”