Barbra Streisand's Romance With Justin Trudeau's Dad Didn't Last Long
Barbra Streisand was once in a relationship with Pierre Trudeau, the former Prime Minister of Canada. Although their romance didn't last very long, their collective fame made them one of the most memorable couples of the late 1960s. Over the years, Streisand has spoken openly about Trudeau in interviews and especially in her memoir, "Hi, My Name Is Barbra," which was released in November 2023. However, Streisand didn't necessarily want to relive romance with Trudeau or her other former suitors. "Listen, I didn't want to write about any of them," Streisand revealed during an interview with Gayle King (via CBS News). "My editor said, 'You have to leave some blood on the page!'"
Ultimately, Streisand dug deep into her former beaus. And though she spent a ton of time sharing eye-opening details about her time with Trudeau — whom she dated after separating from Elliot Gould — it wasn't the first time she opened up about the former prime minister. For example, in 2018, Streisand revealed that she had left a lasting impression on Trudeau's architectural preferences. "I introduced Pierre to Art Deco architecture, as I was building an Art Deco house at the time and he was intrigued," said Streisand during an interview with Macleans. Unfortunately, Trudeau never got to see it before he passed away in 2000. Still, Streisand and Trudeau shared a strong, multi-decade bond that almost turned into a marriage.
Barbra Streisand wasn't fully in love with Pierre Truedeau
Barbra Streisand thought quite highly of Pierre Trudeau, whom she met at the premiere of 1968's "Funny Girl" (which garnered her an Academy Award). "Trudeau was very dapper, intelligent, intense ... kind of a combination of Albert Einstein and Napoleon (only taller). And he was doing important work. I was dazzled," wrote Streisand in her memoir (via People). During their year together, Streisand and Trudeau attended several formal events, including a performance at the National Arts Centre, which generated a ton of attention for the new couple. And though Streisand later described Trudeau as "everything my imagination promised and more" (via Everything Zoomer), things didn't work out in the long run.
"He was a captivating combination of contradictions ... an elegant man who was still enough of a free spirit to wear sandals to Parliament," Streisand wrote (via People). "But for me, there was something missing. My brain was in love, but not my body." Before Streisand came to terms with her feelings, she'd considered a future with Trudeau that included marriage and children. "I thought it would be fantastic," Streisand shared with Playboy in 1997 (via Everything Zoomer). "I'd have to learn how to speak French. I would do only movies made in Canada. I had it all figured out. I would campaign for him and become totally politically involved in all the causes, abortion and whatever."
Barbra and Pierre kept in contact for several decades
Although Barbra Streisand and Pierre Trudeau's relationship never actually made it off the ground, they found lifelong friendship in each other. According to People, Streisand and Trudeau were friends for more than three decades. Unfortunately, Trudeau passed away in 2000 due to a combination of Parkinson's disease and prostate cancer, per The Los Angeles Times. As Streisand revealed in her memoir, they reconnected before his death. "When he died later that year, the world lost a great leader ... and I lost a great friend," revealed Streisand (via People).
In 2006, Streisand reflected on their bond in "Pierre: Colleagues and Friends Talk about the Trudeau They Knew." "Both during [Pierre's] time as head of government and later, he was a model of dignity and humanity, qualities the international community noticed by nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize, and awarding him the Einstein Peace Foundation International Peace Prize," wrote Streisand (via Barbra Archives). "And what impressed me always was that he did it all with his own brand of flair and sense of justice that was the key to all he was and did. He reminded me of the father I lost — intellectual, yet physical, loving sports and information, that great connection of mind and body. I'm very proud to have been a part of his life."