Jane Fonda has clarified that her apparent dig at Barbra Streisand over the Oscars tribute to Robert Redford was just a joke that didn't land.
At the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood on April 30, Fonda explained that she was on the press line when she made the comment, thinking she was being funny. She actually enjoyed Streisand's tribute to Redford, their co-star in the 1973 film The Way We Were.
"I thought it was fabulous that they had Barbra out there," said Fonda, 88. "That was such an iconic movie and the song was so incredibly beautiful. Bob would have liked it."
Streisand's tribute at the March 15 Oscars included a rendition of the film's title song and a recollection of their final phone call. Redford died on September 16 at age 89.
Earlier, Fonda had questioned why Streisand, who made only one movie with Redford, got to honor him, while Fonda made four films with him. However, she now says there's no bad blood and values her own long friendship with Redford.
"It hit me hard this morning when I read that Bob was gone. I can't stop crying. He meant a lot to me," Fonda had said in a statement at the time.