In her memoir ‘My Name Is Barbra’, the legendary artist shares her life story with remarkable honesty, devoting particular attention to her long and complex relationship with Marlon Brando.
The Hollywood icon and world-famous singer, whose albums have sold millions of copies, spent more than six decades collaborating with some of the greatest figures in the arts. Among them were Robert Redford, Jeff Bridges, Ryan O’Neal, Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Sammy Davis Jr., Queen Elizabeth II, and Franco Zeffirelli. Yet out of all these notable names, Marlon Brando held a special place in her life. Their bond was unique and long-lasting, marked by friendship, mutual admiration, and physical attraction. Streisand explores this connection in detail in her autobiography, published last year.
She devotes an entire chapter to the star of A Streetcar Named Desire, playfully titled “At Thirteen, I Fell in Love with Marlon Brando.” Her first “encounter” with him came not in person but through an unexpected message whispered to her, in which he expressed his admiration for her. Their actual meeting took place a year or two later at a charity event. While backstage, she suddenly felt a kiss on her back; turning around, she saw Brando and responded in a teasing manner, to which he quietly replied with a compliment about her back.
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Their paths crossed again at a party. Despite being surrounded by Hollywood’s elite, Brando took Streisand by the hand and led her into a separate room, where they talked privately for four hours. Streisand later reflected on the instinctive connection she felt — something beyond words, perhaps a kind of vibration or chemical reaction, bordering on the mystical.
During this lengthy conversation, Brando was blunt about his desire for her, even though his third wife was nearby. Streisand found his approach shocking but did not end the relationship. Instead, the two developed a lasting friendship, often speaking on the phone about their work and personal interests. One particularly memorable exchange was a two-hour conversation that ended with an affectionate farewell from Brando. Their close friendship endured until his death on July 1, 2004.
Streisand described him as a brilliant yet complicated man and expressed gratitude for their friendship. She recalled one of their most emotional moments — a phone call that took place after Brando rewatched The Way We Were. He confessed that seeing her vulnerability in the film’s final moments made him fall in love with her all over again and mused about what might have been if their lives had taken a different path when they were younger.
