Streisand is known for her crippling stage fright, which prevented her from performing live for nearly 30 years. In her memoir, “My Name Is Barbra,” she reveals its source, revealing an unsettling incident involving Sydney Chaplin (Charlie’s son) when they co-starred in “Funny Girl” on Broadway in the 1960s.
“I don’t even like to talk about it … it’s just a person who had a crush on me – which was unusual – and when I told him, ‘I don’t want to be involved with you,’ he turned on me in a very cruel manner.
He began muttering under his breath while I was onstage. Terrible words. Curse words. And he wouldn’t look into my eyes anymore. And you know, when you’re acting, it’s really important to look at the other person and react to them.”
The unsettling experience left her “flustered” and played a role in her decision to stop performing live.