Robert Redford didn’t mince his words when voicing concern about his and Barbara Streisand’s on-screen chemistry
Robert Redford’s brutal assessment of why it would ‘never work’ with Barbra StreisandRobert Redford didn’t mince his words when voicing concern about his and Barbara Streisand’s on-screen chemistry.
Redford, who takes on the role of Bryson, was hands-on during the production of A Walk in the Woods, acting as a producer.
The 86-year-old has made a habit of getting involved with the other side of the film process, often taking on the roles of director and actor, including in 1980’s Ordinary People, which saw him claim a Best Director Oscar gong.
With such an involvement, Redford has often made no mistake of voicing his opinon on the cast and other Hollywood stars. Nowhere was this more clear than during the production of the 1973 romance drama The Way We Were, where he had a few choice words about on his co-star Barbra Streisand.
He said he felt Streisand had a “controlling” reputation, and as such questioned whether they would be compatible on-screen together. It is a clash that is discussed in Robert Hoflers upcoming book The Way They Were: How Epic Battles and Bruised Egos Brought a Classic Hollywood Love Story to the Screen.
According to the book, Redford told the film’s director Sydney Pollack: “She will direct herself. It’ll never work.”
He was also concerned about Streisand’s musical background, expressing doubt over whether musical numbers may be included in the film: “She’s not going to sing, is she? I [don’t] want her to sing in the middle of the movie.”
Pollack, who won the Academy Award for Best Director in 1985 for Out of Africa, also questioned his actress, reportedly claiming that she had “never worked with a really strong leading man”.
He continued: “She has a tendency to take over a picture, just by the size of her talent and larger-than-life presence. It’s hard for a co-star to stay in the same ring with her.”
But Pollack argued that Redford would be the one star able to handle Streisand, herself an Oscar winner, adding: “In acting, you have to sense that there’s a reserve somewhere, that you’re seeing the top of the iceberg.
“Redford makes you come to him as a performer. He holds his ground, and you either enter his turf or you don’t get it. Period. He will not court you … I spent literally eight months beating him to death in order to get him to do it. I would not let him off the hook.”
Following the film’s success, a sequel was touted, provisionally titled The Way We Changed, but Redford denied ever getting involved with the film. He did, however, note that Streisand had held talks about the film.
More recently, Streisand was back in the public eye following an interview with The Guardian, discussing her career, as well as the correct way to say her name. She noted that many people call her “Strei-zand” as opposed to the actually pronunciation of “Strei-sand”.
She said: “It’s the funniest thing to me that people still can’t seem to get my name right,” she said. “Even today, I had to correct my new assistant.”
Meanwhile, A Walk in the Woods was originally floated as becoming a film in 2005, when Redford first announced his interests in it. Among those reportedly linked to the flick included directors such as Chris Columbus, Barry Levinson and Larry Charles.
Redford had originally wanted fellow Hollywood icon Paul Newman to co-star with him, but following his death temporarily abandoned the project, believing he was unable to fill the role.
However, he would later say of the project: “It’ll be fun. I don’t know when I’ve read a book that made me laugh so loud. Also, it’s a chance to take a look at the country… The backdrop is pretty terrific; if you stop to think of all the visuals that are possible as they go along that trail.”
PROC. BY MOVIES
Research shows body senses death is near – it starts in nose
Humans do not like to be in the dark about things, and perhaps that is why the idea of death scares so many people. However, research shows that while death remains largely a mystery, some of the things surrounding it are becoming more and more obvious.
Keep reading to learn more.
What cannot be explained by science is often referred to as a ‘sixth sense’ by people. And sometimes, scientific research comes out which ends up confirming what humans had long suspected with their sixth sense.
According to research, when a person dies, their body immediately starts to break down. During this, putrescine is emitted into the surroundings. Putrescine is a toxic and foul smell, and humans, at a subconscious level, can recognize this as a putrefying odor. And when the human brain recognizes this scent, it immediately responds to the death.
Researcher Arnaud Wisman from the University of Kent’s School of Psychology in Canterbury, UK, and Ilan Shira from the Department of Behavioral Sciences in Arkansas’ Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas, shared that much like animals, humans can also sense scents and respond accordingly. This is a major survival tactic developed across several species. So when humans come across putrescine, consciously or subconsciously, they respond to it.
The researchers conducted experiments that show that when humans are exposed to the putrescine scent, they move away similarly to animals who also run away in similar circumstances. “We do not know why we like (or dislike) someone’s smell, and we’re usually not aware of how scent influences our emotions, preferences, and attitudes,” Wisman and Shira stated.
“It is hard to think of a scent as frightening,” other researchers have claimed. But it is not untrue that scents make people more alert about their surroundings.
Sex pheromones, which are defined as odors produced by males or females, also have a reaction on human behavior, which usually brings a reaction in another human for the purpose of mating.
“Putrescine signals a different type of message than pheromones, but people’s responses to putrescine (avoidance and hostility) do seem indeed to be the opposite of responses to many sexual pheromones,” one researcher explained.
But unlike other scents, for this one, humans are not aware they are smelling it and their response is more likely subconscious. So it seems our nose can help us figure out if there is death or perhaps ‘danger’ nearby.
It is always so fascinating to learn about how humans work and how our subconscious might be reacting to things we might not even notice! Share this with others so they can also know about this fascinating discovery.
Tom Selleck says fatherhood is the “most important” role he has ever played
Yet whilst it’s impressive that he’s managed to retain the respect and love of the masses throughout the entirety of his career, arguably an even greater feat is that he’s kept his family life private over the years.
The Magnum P.I. actor has faced some serious challenges across the decades, but his golden rule has always been to put his family first.
It’s no surprise, then, that Selleck admitted, as per CBS Local in 2012, that fatherhood is the most important role he’s ever had to play.
Selleck and his wife, fellow actress Jillie Mack, welcomed their daughter Hannah Magaret to the world in 1988. For Selleck, it was a day that changed everything.
The actor even moved his family to a ranch in Ventura County, California, as he believed it would give them the best shot at raising Hannah out of the searing spotlight of Hollywood.
“I quit Magnum to have a family,” Selleck explained to People back in 2012.
“It took a long time to get off the train, but I try very hard to have balance, and this ranch has helped me do that.”
Fast forward to now and that’s a choice that certainly seems to have paid dividends.
Not only was Hannah given a safe, rural environment in which to grow up, but living on the ranch brought her closer to the animals that would shape her own career: horses.
The now 36-year-old forged a career as a world-class equestrian, winning laurels and fame in her own right along the way.
“As a kid [my parents] tried to raise me as normally as possible given my dad’s line of work,” she told The Epoch Times.
“Those horses have been a great way for me to have my own accomplishments outside of whatever my parents had done.” Hannah started horse-riding at the tender young age of 4 and there’s been no looking back since.”
Tom Selleck never fails to impress me, and I know I can’t be the only fan of his!
Share this article if you, too, think Tom Selleck is a good actor and, more importantly, a good man.
Sally Jessy Raphael claims Instagram won’t verify her account
The former talk show host took to Instagram claiming the social media company refused to verify her account despite her providing them proof of her identity.
“So, Instagram doesn’t want to give me my blue check – no matter what proof I send them,” the 89-year-old wrote alongside an image of a gigantic blue checkmark. “AND there’s a fake account called ‘realsallyjr’, and that’s NOT ME! Help me let Instagram know, so we can fix this.”
Raphael began hosting the The Sally Jessy Raphael Show, later titled Sally, in October 1983. She hosted the tabloid-style show until May 2002.
Her show was one of the first syndicated talk shows that involved audience participation. She helped paved the way for women in the business, including Oprah whose show premiered three years after Sally.
Over the course of 20 seasons, Raphael interviewed countless celebrities, though she always maintained that Audrey Hepburn was her favorite.
“I was so awestruck, I could hardly ask a question. Everything she did, I admired. Everything she had done in her life I found to be exemplary,” she told the DailyMail.
Throughout her career and even into her retirement, Raphael has maintained a signature look that makes her stand out in a crowd.
When filming began for The Sally Jessy Raphael Show, she realized she couldn’t see the teleprompter.
“When we started, I looked at the teleprompter and I said ”I can’t read that! I’m going blind!’ “
On her search for a new prescription, Raphael came across an ad for an eye test, glasses and a Pap smear. Despite the bizarre ad, the talk show host booked an appointment.
During the appointment she was told she would need a more expensive pair of glasses, but unfortunately they only color they had was red.
“You got it,” Raphael said.
Although she didn’t anticipate the trouble she’d face from the producers of her show.
“I had to fight to have the glasses. Producers tried to change them. Those shadowy figures objected to everything.”
She has since accumulated over 200 pairs of red glasses.
As of August 2, Raphael currently has less than 650 followers on Instagram, but even though her numbers might not match those of other talk show hosts, her fans are just as loud if not louder with their support.
“The Icon, the Legend of daytime TV, Ms. Sally Jessy Raphael needs her Blue Check Mark ? “
“That’s pretty crazy that someone as famous as you are is having trouble with being recognized. I’m trying to understand what the issue is though”
“We should flood your feed with blue hearts it’s so much better than a blue checkmark”
I remember watching Sally on TV! Do you? Let us know in the comments.