Barbra Streisand will always be fondly remembered for her role as Roz Focker in the Meet the Parents movie franchise, though she claimed that she wasn’t fairly paid for appearing in the films.
“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,” Streisand, 83, alleged when she was asked if she’ll appear in the new Meet the Parents movie while speaking to Variety in an interview published on Monday, June 23. “I was in the time when women were getting paid less than the men.”
She also claimed that Ron Meyer, the head of Universal at the time, “actually sent me a bonus check” following her role in the movie franchise. “It was very sweet,” Streisand added.
While the legendary singer didn’t appear in 2000 film Meet the Parents, she starred in the sequels Meet the Fockers in 2004 and Little Fockers in 2010.
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Streisand was asked about her future with the franchise after the Variety reporter pointed out that Ariana Grande had been cast in the upcoming Meet the Parents movie. “You’re kidding,” Streisand responded to the casting news.
Grande, 31, is set to join original stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson in the upcoming film.
Streisand then added that she is a fan of Grande, 31, and even recently watched her starring role as Glinda in Wicked with her grandchildren. “I was just watching their reaction and they were totally fine with the witches. I was surprised. A four- and a six-year-old, you know?” she shared.
Not only is she a fan of Grande’s acting, but Streisand is also a fan of her singing. In fact, she recruited Grande and Mariah Carey to perform a song titled “One Heart, One Voice” on her upcoming album, The Secret of Life: Partners, Volume Two, which will be released on Friday, June 27.
“They’re the hottest, biggest, most wonderful voices,” Streisand told the outlet of Grande and Carey, 56. “And they both said yes to join me.”