Streisand / Press

The Brooklyn Cleopatra

New York, December 20, 1964

By: Oriana Fallaci

NOTE:  This interview has been translated from the original Italian ... therefore, some of Barbra’s quotes read a little bit awkwardly.

I interviewed Barbra Streisand in her home in Central Park: black bathrooms with bier-like tubs, four-poster beds raised on platforms with two steps, precious ornaments, vintage furniture, furs and paper flowers. Then a lot of food to forget the hunger of when she used to live in Brooklyn and she was a little Jewish girl "anemic and bald", fatherless in addition, "with a lot of voice, a lot of cheekiness, and a lot of nose". In that elegant and vulgar house, that it alone would be enough to portray her and to remind us that, despite everything, people with personality still exist in this leveled world that is always the same without fantasy, she lives with her husband: a young actor named Elliott Gould whom some say is the new American Belmondo. I saw her husband quickly before doing the interview: while she was eating, because she always eats. I hope you'll enjoy listening to her, as I enjoy it, he said and added

nothing else. Introducing Barbra Streisand and this interview, which soon became a monologue, I say: I hope you'll have as much fun as I did.

BJS: I love food and I will continue to swallow it no matter what it will do to my body. Do you think I'm ugly?

On the contrary Miss Streisand: I find you very beautiful. Of an unconventional and changeable beauty. Actually, you look pretty good in photographs.

Rick Avedon, the photographer, says I'm beautiful. He says I have a Greek profile. Cecil Beaton, the other photographer, says I'm gorgeous, the reincarnation of Cleopatra. Most people think that I have an odd look, theatrical entrepreneurs always told me that. And the result is that now I feel confused, you know? I mean, sometimes I would spit on myself in the mirror, sometimes I smile and I think: not bad, girl, after all you really look like that Egyptian Pharaoh, because what does it mean to be beautiful? Silvana Mangano is beautiful. Ava Gardner is beautiful. But actresses, especially in America, aren't always beautiful: they're blonde, pretty, that's different. Blond, pretty things have always bothered me. Unfortunately in America the concept of beauty is a childish concept: Americans always associate the idea of beauty with the beauty of children. Babies are beautiful because their eyes are big, the body hasn't grown but the eyes have, that's why they look so big. And they are beautiful because their skin is smooth and their hair is fine, but who said adults have to look like children? I have an adult face and I'm Jewish, so the problem is my nose. What do you think of my nose?

Well it's quite big, I mean it's a prominent nose. It's Egyptian: a little Greek. Have you ever thought about fixing it?

No, because I didn't have money and on the other hand I was afraid of physical pain, I hate physical pain and the idea of having my nose hurting made me crazy. And then I thought that I could make it with my nose: that I could impose it. They said: change that nose, change it! I refused to do it and now this kind of nose is becoming fashionable. (...) Miss America I will never be, my nose and my mouth are too big, so I thought: I have to become a queen!

So you studied singing and acting with discipline ...

I don't know what discipline is, I've never studied anything. I was into Zen Buddhism but then I lost the book, also I was into Bacon, the philosopher, but I lost his book too. I don't know the music at all, I don't know how to read the notes and when they ask me how can I hold a note like that I answer: I don't know. I have never vocalized, I have never worn scarves around my throat in order to avoid a cold: singing for me is like speaking. Some speak, I sing. And then I didn't want to become a singer, I wanted to become an actress, you know what I mean? I'm a great actress and I became a singer by chance. I went into that night club in Greenwich village, there was a contest, whoever won took $50, I said can I? I went to the microphone and I won the $50, that's it. A bomb, but what is extraordinary about setting off a bomb? Instead what fascinates me are the can openers. Think of the fantasy that it takes to invent the can opener, to the excitement of opening a can of sardines, can you imagine? I became Barbra like that, without a can opener.

Barbra: a very strange name, I wanted to say that at the beginning of this interview. Your real name is Barbara, not Barbra. Tell me more about dropping that 'a’ from your name.

I've always dreamed of being called Angelina, Angelina Scarangella. I find it a catchy name, it's wonderful. Because, you see, in Brooklyn there are many Italians with this name. I cried out of envy and one day I had the name Angelina Scarangella engraved on my writing paper, I also had it engraved on matchboxes although I did not smoke, and I decided that I would become a diva with the name of Angelina Scarangella. I also started to study Italian and I still study it because it is such a sensual language, so lustful, so open. English seems the language of fish with that whistling of consonants, you know? When the bomb went off they asked me what my name was, I answered: Angelina Scarangella. (...)

Translated interview from the Italian book 'Intervista con it mite' (Interview with the myth) by Oriana Fallaci. The interview appeared in several European magazines in 1965, even translated into Spanish.

More Barbra Archives Archived Stories:

• Barbra Archives Interviews: The Bergmans, Rupert Holmes, Gary Klein, Phil Ramone and more ...
• Streisand Books: Complete list of all the books written about Miss Streisand
• Barbra’s Homes Over the Years