AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Barbra Streisand

Elizabeth was on hand to pay tribute to Barbra Streisand when she was presented with the AFI Life Achievement Award on February 22, 2001 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. (Elizabeth herself was the recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1993.)

“It’s so good to see you, Barbra,” Elizabeth said from the lectern, blowing Barbra a kiss. “You look so beautiful,” mouthed Barbra, who seemed visibly moved by Elizabeth’s presence. Elizabeth returned the compliment, and speaking from the heart, told Barbra how much she has been in awe of her and her prodigious talent. “I have been so overwhelmed by your talent that for years I have been terrified of you,” Elizabeth said. “I’ve been scared to come up to you and, like, girl talk or, like, say, ‘Do you remember when we were at that party and somebody lost their knickers’ or whatever. You were just too big, too perfect, too wonderful, and I now know in the last two years since you’ve been married [to James Brolin] that happiness just radiates out of you, that I felt I could touch you, that I could reach you, that I could talk to you, that I could tell you how much I adore you. I care for you so much it makes me want to cry. I really love you and thank you, Barbra, for everything you’ve given us all. God bless.”

She also read a letter that Henry Fonda (who had co-starred with Elizabeth in 1973’s Ash Wednesday) had written to Barbra about Funny Girl.