Barbra Streisand is one of the most talented singers and actors in Hollywood. With a career spanning over six decades, Streisand has ventured into multiple fields of entertainment, including acting on the stage as well as on the screen, directing, and producing. Plus, she’s one of the very few performers to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Academy Award, and a Tony.
It’s no secret that, sometimes, talented musicians can act like total divas. For example, J.Lo once avoided speaking directly to a flight attendant and only spoke through her personal assistant instead. Well, Barbra Streisand is no exception. This talented performer once canceled an interview with Jimmy Kimmel simply because the staff would use a different camera angle that showed her “good side”.
Barbra Streisand Started Singing At A Very Young Age
Like many other talented musicians, Barbra Streisand began singing at a very young age. She made her singing debut at a PTA assembly at her school and after that, she would be invited to perform at a variety of events, from weddings to summer camps. When she was nine, she even auditioned at MGM records.
In addition to singing, Streisand knew she wanted to become an actor at a very young age. In fact, she got her first stage experience when she was still in high school. In the summer of 1957, Streisand worked as a walk-on at the Playhouse in Malden Bridge. She then landed other small roles in stage productions such as Picnic and Desk Set.
After graduating from high school, Streisand began her music career by performing in nightclubs and Broadway theaters. After starring in several Broadway shows, such as Another Evening with Harry Stoones and I Can Get It for You Wholesale, Streisand started gaining more and more recognition. She then started getting invitations for guest appearances in various television shows, including The Tonight Show and The Garry Moore Show.
Streisand was only 21 years old when she signed with Columbia Records. Her first album, The Barbra Streisand Album, was released in 1963 and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Now, with 11 albums, Streisand has topped the Billboard charts on more than one occasion. In addition to this, she’s one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with sales of more than 150 million records worldwide.
In Addition To Being An Award-Winning Singer, Barbra Streisand Also Became A Successful Actress
In addition to starring in numerous Broadway shows and launching a successful music career, Streisand decided to venture into the film industry in the late 1960s. She made her film debut starring in the critically acclaimed musical Funny Girl (1968), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress a year later.
Other movies she appeared in include Hello, Dolly! (1969), What's Up, Doc? (1972), The Way We Were (1973), A Star Is Born (1976), and The Prince of Tides (1991), which she not only starred in but also directed, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Director.
Barbra Streisand Once Canceled An Appearance With Jimmy Kimmel After The Host Refused To Use A Different Camera Angle
Throughout her six-decade-long career, Barbra Streisand has been branded a diva on more than one occasion. Although throughout her career, this talented actress has proven she’s a pleasure to work with, there have also been moments that, like many other talented stars, Streisand can be kind of a diva.
During an interview with Andy Cohen, late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel revealed that he once had an issue with Barbara Streisand after he declined the singer’s request to change seats to show her good side to the cameras.
Kimmel admitted that he would have been open to switching seats if he had been allowed to joke about the situation, but Streisand refused to do this. “The condition was we couldn’t talk about the fact that we’d switched around, and I was like, ‘I just don’t see how this will work,’” the late-night show host explained.
It seems that this was not a one-time-only incident. When she appeared in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon back in 2014, the talk show insisted Streisand sit on his desk during their interview. Looking back, it would seem that this was an elaborate ploy to have the star sit on her good side.