Barbra Streisand Says She Doesn't Have A Directing Oscar Because Of Sexism

The Hollywood legend says voters didn't want to see a woman director.
Streisand: Hollywood legend.
Streisand: Hollywood legend.
Joe Scarnici via Getty Images

Barbra Streisand is one of the most celebrated people in Hollywood, but she has revealed that sexism got in the way of achieving one of her biggest goals: an Oscar nomination for directing.

During a conversation with director Robert Rodriguez at the Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, Streisand claimed that she got snubbed for her films “Yentl” and “Prince of Tides” because Academy voters didn’t “want to see a woman director.”

And while 1983’s “Yentl” received several Oscar noms including Best Art Direction, Streisand said the directing snub got to her ― she didn’t direct her next film until 1991.

“I must have been more hurt than I thought,” Streisand explained. “Because I didn’t want to direct for years.”

According to Variety, Streisand said she decided to direct after clashing with filmmaker Sydney Pollack on the set of “The Way We Were” in 1973. When several scenes she felt were important to the plot were cut out despite her protests, Streisand knew she had to tell her own stories.

“I directed because I couldn’t be heard,” she said.

Rodriguez suggested that Streisand has paved the way for women directors like Kathryn Bigelow, but Streisand believes more progress must be made.

“Not enough women are directing now,” she added. “I love when I see a woman’s name on the film, and then I want to see it be good.”

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