Barbra Streisand is an all-time Hollywood hit girl, a living legend who holds EGOT winner status, and someone whose last name should frankly be its own tier of awards. However, that apparently didn’t stop her from getting shortchanged on one of the biggest hit movies of the 2000s. According to Streisand, the actress — who debuted as Roz Focker in Meet the Fockers — didn’t receive Focker-level pay. And, though she’s not over it, I still hope she returns to the franchise.
The 83-year-old singer and actress took part in a Variety interview, during which she promoted her new album The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume Two. Streisand didn’t mince words when asked if she’d ever return to the Meet the Parents universe. According to her:
Oh my God. They’d have to pay me a lot of money because I didn’t get paid what the other people got paid and so I’m pissed off. I was in the time when women were getting paid less than the men. The head of Universal was Ron Meyer at the time, and he actually sent me a bonus check. It was very sweet.
Let’s pause and let that soak in. Barbra freaking Streisand, wasn’t paid equally for Meet the Fockers, a movie that made $522 million worldwide? That notion alone is wild, but it becomes even more confusing when you also consider the film’s lackluster second sequel, Little Fockers, which still managed to hit the #1 box office spot. Streisand’s performance was truly iconic.
Who can forget Roz Focker’s bohemian attitude or the hilarious back massage she gives Robert De Niro’s uptight Jack Byrnes? It’s undeniably unforgettable. Yet, despite her talent, she still had to rely on a “sweet” bonus check to make ends meet. I’m honestly confused.
To be fair, this was the mid-2000s, when major pay disparities weren’t just accepted, they were industry standard. But hearing it laid out this bluntly from one of the most powerful women in entertainment hits different.
Now, in classic Babs fashion, she didn’t completely slam the door on returning. But, if Universal wants her back for the finally announced, after 15 years, upcoming fourth Meet the Parents sequel, the movie’s producers better plan on backing up the Brinks trucks to the Hello, Dolly! star’s house–with interest. Considering how much of a splash Streisand made in the role of Roz, it’d be a shame if she didn’t return.
In the meantime, Streisand is now focused on music; her upcoming duet album features everyone from Sam Smith and Hozier to Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey, but she’s still very much plugged into pop culture. Her grandkids recently watched Wicked, and when asked if she saw that it was recently announced that Grande was set to be in the next follow-up to one of Ben Stiller’s best movies, she laughed and replied:
She’s going to play Roz Focker?
Classic Babs. Whether or not she returns to the chaotic Focker family, the larger takeaway here is clear: women, even the most famous ones, have had to fight for fair pay. And Streisand’s not about to sugarcoat that.
So let’s put it out into the universe: give Streisand her due, give Roz Focker a proper send-off and give fans the reunion we deserve. Until then, fans can revisit the whole Focker Trilogy, which is available to stream with a Hulu subscription.