Are Barbra Streisand and Jane Fonda locked in a simmering feud? One tabloid claims the two Hollywood icons can’t stand one another. Here’s what we know.
Jane Fonda And Barbra Streisand In ‘Secret Feud’?
This week, Woman’s Day is unearthing a rumored feud between Jane Fonda and Barbra Streisand. Back in 2016, the Funny Girl star made a joke about how she “made Jane Fonda’s career” by turning down multiple roles that eventually went to Fonda. But sources say Fonda is still bent out of shape over Streisand’s jab. “Jane thinks Babs is just blowing hot air and should focus on her own business,” an insider confides.
But the pair’s “frenemy” relationship has reignited since Streisand has been saying how badly Fonda is in need of a man, sources attest. “Barbra prides herself on her matchmaking skills and she’d be happy to set Jane up if she’d let her,” the tipster remarks. “Jane attributed this to sour grapes because when they were younger, Jane was the sexy one and Barbra had ugly duckling insecurities.”
Jane Fonda Upset With ‘Frenemy’?
After a bit of digging, we found out that the outlet completely isolated Barbra Streisand and Jane Fonda’s words, removing them from their context. First of all, Streisand does not believe that she made Fonda’s career. In the New York Times article from which Streisand is being quoted, she and the interviewer were discussing her reluctance to work early on in her career. “The thing is, I was always kind of lazy,” Streisand remarked, insisting she preferred to seek out “personal happiness” over professional success.
The interviewer then noted just how many roles she turned down, many of which went to her friend Jane Fonda. Streisand then remarked in a “deadpan aside” that she “made Jane Fonda’s career.” It’s clear that Streisand only meant to stress just how many roles she turned down, not attack Fonda in any way. But if you ignore this context, it just seems like Streisand was taking credit for another actress’ work—which she simply wasn’t doing.
But it doesn’t seem like Fonda ever took Streisand’s comments to heart. She actually hit back with her own joke in 2020. “[Streisand] needs to say things like that to kind of, you know, give her a little boost,” Fonda told Andy Cohen. “You have to feel sorry for her. It’s been a tough life. She needs something to boost her up.” And since Streisand is indisputably one of the most successful stars in Hollywood history, Fonda’s irony was plain as day. So, no, we don’t believe that Fonda and Streisand are feuding.
More Feuds From The Tabloid
This is far from the first time Woman’s Day has invented a juicy celebrity feud. The outlet once reported Chris Hemsworth was feuding with his brother Liam. Then the magazine claimed Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd secretly hated each other. And not too long ago, the publication alleged Nicole Kidman was at war with Meg Ryan. Clearly, Woman’s Day doesn’t really know the ins and outs of celebrities’ social lives.