Hollywood is reeling as news of Robert Redford’s passing sends waves of grief through the entertainment world. Friends, co-stars, and admirers are preparing to honor the man who defined an era of classic American cinema — but one name is conspicuously missing from the guest list. According to multiple insiders, there’s one actor who will not be attending Redford’s funeral, and the reason behind that absence has left fans stunned.
For decades, Robert Redford was the golden boy of Hollywood — handsome, principled, and fiercely private. From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to The Sting, he redefined cool on screen and integrity off it. Yet behind that charming smile, Redford carried a long list of grudges and broken friendships. And none were more infamous than his secret feud with a co-star who once called him “impossible to work with.”
The tension dates back to the early 1970s, during the filming of The Way We Were. Redford’s polished precision reportedly clashed with the fiery personality of his co-star — none other than Barbra Streisand. While their chemistry on-screen was undeniable, the atmosphere behind the scenes was reportedly explosive.
Insiders from the production have claimed that the two barely spoke off camera, and when they did, it often ended in shouting matches. Streisand allegedly accused Redford of being “emotionally cold” and “arrogant,” while Redford once confided to a friend that working with her was “like acting opposite a hurricane with eyeliner.”
Decades later, the feud never truly healed. Although they both praised each other publicly in interviews, those close to Redford say he refused to have anything to do with Streisand after their second collaboration attempt fell apart in the 1980s. “He respected her talent,” one friend admitted, “but he didn’t trust her. She humiliated him once, and he never forgot it.”
Now, as the film industry prepares to say goodbye to one of its last true icons, sources close to the Redford family have confirmed that Streisand will not be attending the funeral service. Officially, her representatives have cited “scheduling conflicts,” but insiders say the real reason runs much deeper. “Let’s just say Robert didn’t want her there,” one source revealed bluntly. “He made his feelings clear years ago.”
But Streisand isn’t the only Hollywood figure with a strained history with Redford. Rumors have also resurfaced about a behind-the-scenes rivalry with Warren Beatty — a friendship that soured after both men competed for the same film roles and Academy Award nominations throughout the 1970s. According to one Hollywood historian, “Redford played the all-American hero, Beatty played the playboy. The truth is, they couldn’t stand each other’s success.”
Despite the whispers, Redford’s passing has united much of Hollywood in mourning. Friends describe him as a man of integrity, fiercely loyal to those he loved, and quietly unforgiving to those who crossed him. “Robert believed in grace,” one longtime associate said, “but not in forgetting.”
As the cameras prepare to capture the final farewell, fans are left with one haunting question — why did such a man, admired by millions, leave this world with so many unfinished stories? Perhaps, as one former co-star put it best:
“Robert Redford didn’t live for Hollywood. He lived in spite of it.”
