What Barbra Streisand Thinks Of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s ‘A Star Is Born’ Remake

When Lady Gaga took on the starring role in A Star Is Born, she stepped into the shoes of another famed singer-turned-actress, Barbra Streisand, who previously played the same role as an up-and-coming songstress in the 1976 iteration of the classic romantic drama.

Speaking with The New York Times for a profile published on Tuesday, the 10-time GRAMMY winner had some supportive words for the “Million Reasons” singer’s take on the timeless story, in which she stars opposite Bradley Cooper.

“I haven’t seen it completed. Bradley did show me the opening,” said Streisand, who starred opposite Kris Kristofferson in the role Cooper embodied in the recent reimagining. “I was surprised by how similar it was to my version.”

The new take on A Star Is Born is the most recent remake of the 1937 classic of the same name, starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. The film was first remade by iconic director George Cukor in 1954, starring Judy Garland and James Mason. 

Late filmmaker Frank Pierson helmed Streisand’s version, while the latest take on the story served as Cooper’s directorial debut. And while there was bound to be similarities between the different interpretations, Streisand had a lot of praise for some of the unique aspects that Cooper managed to add.

“I loved how he used the drag bar,” Streisand reflected, referring to the scene, early in the film, where Cooper’s character, grizzled country star Jackson Maine, first discovers Gaga’s character, aspiring singer Ally Campana. “I thought that was new and interesting.”

“What I’ve seen of the film, I really liked,” Streisand added.

The two-time Oscar winner isn’t the only one who appreciated Cooper and Gaga’s take on A Star Is Born — the film currently holds an impressive 90% on Rotten Tomatoes andd it’s earned a worldwide gross of $256 million off it’s comparably modest $36 million budget.

There’s also a great deal of awards season buzz surrounding the pair, with particular acclaim directed at their vocal performances and fiery chemistry.

Check out the video below for more on the pair’s’ journey together during the production of A Star Is Born.