Barbra Streisand

Cast · Writer · Director

Born

April 24, 1942 · Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York City, USA

Birth name

Barbara Joan Streisand

“Art exists not only to entertain, but also to challenge us to think, to provoke, even to disturb, in a constant search for truth.” Barbra Streisand is an iconic American singer, actress, director and producer, recognized as much for her vocal talent as for her film career. She showed an interest in the arts from an early age, began singing in the early 1960s and her iconic voice quickly came to prominence. In 1968 she made her film debut with the musical Funny Girl for which she won her first Oscar Award for Best Actress. She consolidated her career with the films Hello, Dolly! (1969),The way we are (1973) and A Star is Born (1976) and with the latter she won her second Oscar, this time as composer, the first woman to do so. She made her debut as a director with Yentl (1983), a film that tells the story of a young woman who disguises herself as a man to study the Talmud, Barbra was a pioneer in telling a story about gender identity. She also directed The Prince of Tides (1991) and The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996). Furthermore, she played Ben Stiller's mother in Meet the Fockers, and Little Fockers(2004 and 2010). Throughout her career she received numerous awards and recognitions in various areas of the arts: Grammys, Emmys, a special Tony and several Golden Globes, among others. Barbra Streisand is a legendary figure in popular culture, known for her ability to reinvent herself in a career that spans more than six decades.