"On the one hand, I'll be compared to an Egyptian sculpture and on the other hand, people think I'm awful-looking,'' she said.
Barbra Streisand is known for her award-winning songs, acting, and also directing. However, the multi-faceted entertainer had a tough life before her career and was called ugly and cross-eyed.
When she entered the entertainment industry she received horrific treatment from everybody around her. Today she is considered one of the most accomplished artists of all time but she was once called "too ugly to be a star" according to a new biography by Neal Gabler.
"She changed our perception of what beauty meant," said Neal Gabler, a historian, film critic, and the author of Barbra Streisand: Redefining Beauty, Femininity, and Power, as per Wisconsin Public Radio.
NY Times reported that Barbra recalled having memories of people always having something to say about her looks and in a strange way. "On the one hand, I'll be compared to an Egyptian sculpture and on the other hand, people think I'm awful-looking,'' she said. ''My opinion of myself is probably a little bit of both,'' she added.
''There are traumatic moments like, 'Ma, I want to be an actress,' and the answer is, 'Well, you're not pretty enough; you better cut your nails off and become a typist so you'll have a job','' she said. ''When she saw me act for the first time she said, 'Your arms are too thin','' she added.
Despite all the hardships that she had to face, she ended up securing a long-term position in this faced paced industry and a career spanning over six decades! The entertainer is married to James Brolin and their union is getting stronger day by day. The two met on a blind date when Streisand was 54 and Brolin was 56.
The two tied the knot after almost two years of courtship and Brolin expressed how lucky and blessed he felt to have found her, "Every night is a new adventure. Sleeping is a waste of time. I can't wait to see her again in the morning," he said, per PEOPLE.
With over 2 decades of marriage it's no surprise that Brolin has some solid relationship advice, he said that the key is to take it day by day. During a virtual appearance on The Talk, the 82-year-old actor said that his marriage has gotten even better after COVID.
"I like women who say their peace, and I'm a calming factor, and she gets me up and doing things I wouldn't normally accomplish. It's like a perfect situation, the two of us," he told co-host Sheryl Underwood.
"We, for a long time, were put out by COVID. And a lot of people, their marriages haven't gone well during these 15 months," he continued. "We've literally fallen in love over this period of time, just being stuck together every day and making it work."
References:
https://www.etonline.com/james-brolin-reflects-20-years-marriage-barbra-streisand-exclusive-94300
https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/13/movies/barbra-streisand-still-not-pretty-enough.html
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=766026234084325
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Central Press/ Hulton Archive; (R) Alberto E. Rodriguez
