Skip to main contentSkip to footer
Digital Cover celebrities

Why Jennifer Lopez was surprised when she first met Barbra Streisand: ‘I never thought of her that way’

Jennifer revealed she was really “puzzled” by her questions, “I was like, ‘You’re Barbra Streisand.’”


Daniel Neira
Daniel Neira - Los Angeles
Senior WriterLos Angeles
FEBRUARY 9, 2022 3:55 PM EST

Jennifer Lopez is looking back at some of the defining moments of her career in Hollywood, including the first time she met the legendary actress Barbra Streisand.

The superstar was asked during her latest interview with Rolling Stone if she had ever met one of her “personal idols.” Jennifer went on to describe the moment she was first introduced to Streisand during an Oscar party in the early 2000s.

JLo explained that she was attending Ed Limato’s party, revealing that the Hollywood agent “used to throw a big party every year the night before the Oscars, it was called The Night Before party. Everybody used to go. This was 2002, 2003.”

She also said she attended the party with Ben Affleck and was surprised when she met the actress: “She came up to me and I was like ‘Oh my God, I’m such a huge fan.’ And she goes, ‘How do you do it?’ And I go, ‘Do what?’ she goes, ‘Be so famous? I was like, ‘What?.’

Jennifer went on to say she was really “puzzled” by her questions, “I was like, ‘You’re Barbra Streisand.’” The actress then confessed to Jennifer that she didn’t like all the attention, declaring “I have terrible stage fright.”

Barbra Streisand Performs at National Democratic Gala, a Benefit to Help Win a Democratic Majority in the U.S. House of Representatives© GettyImages

“She was telling me all these things. I was really surprised. I never thought of her that way. It really stayed with me,” the star shared, admitting that Barbra was “Everything I thought she would be.”