Jane Fonda has a message for the producers of the 2026 Oscars "In Memoriam" segment. The 98th Academy Awards featured an extended tribute to Hollywood icons who passed away, including screen legend Robert Redford, who died in September at age 89.
For Redford's special dedication, his The Way We Were co-star Barbra Streisand delivered an emotional musical tribute. But Fonda believes she was the more fitting choice to honor Redford's legacy.
"I wanna know how come Streisand was up there doing that for Redford?" Fonda quipped to ET after the ceremony. "She only made one movie with him, I made four." She added with a playful tone, "I have more to say."
Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in 'Barefoot in the Park'. Silver Screen Collection/Getty
Fonda and Redford shared the screen across five decades, starring in films like 1966's The Chase, 1967's Barefoot in the Park, and 1979's The Electric Horseman. They reunited for 2017's Our Souls at Night, cementing a lifelong friendship.
"I was always in love with him," Fonda admitted. "The most gorgeous human being with great values. He did a lot for movies, lifting up independent cinema." After Redford's death, Fonda told TheEntBase she couldn't "stop crying," describing him as "a beautiful person in every way."
She emphasized his impact beyond Hollywood: "He stood for an America we have to keep fighting for," referencing his activism.
Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, and Barbra Streisand attend the 42nd Chaplin Award Gala on April 27, 2015. Kevin Mazur/Getty
Streisand, meanwhile, shared heartfelt memories during her Oscars tribute. "I miss him now more than ever, even how he loved teasing me," she said. "He'd call me 'Babs.' And I'd say, 'Bob, do I look like a Babs?' But the way he said it made me laugh."
She recalled a phone conversation where Redford ended with, "'Babs, I love you dearly, and I always will.'" Streisand added, "In the last note I ever wrote to Bob, I signed it 'Babs.'"
