Streisand: The Mother Focker (Babs will be in sequel Meet the Parents)

E Online ^ | 3-12-04 | Josh Grossberg

[truthandlife]

Babs is celebrating her return to the big screen by getting Focker'd up.

Eight years since her last starring role, Barbra Streisand is thisclose to making her movie comeback as Ben Stiller's mom in Universal Pictures' Meet the Fockers, the sequel to the blockbuster 2000 comedy Meet the Parents.

Streisand is in final talks to join the all-star cast, reps for the studio and Streisand confirmed Friday. A sealed deal should be announced soon.

The sequel, which reunites Stiller with original cast members Robert De Niro, Blythe Danner (news) and Teri Polo (news), also stars Dustin Hoffman (news), who signed up in January to play Stiller's father.

Meet the Fockers picks up where Parents left off. After finally winning the blessing of his neurotic future in-laws, hapless male nurse Gaylord "Greg" Focker (Stiller) now finds himself in the uncomfortable position of having to introduce them to his parents before he and his fiance (Polo) tie the knot.

But the laid-back Fockers aren't exactly compatible with ill-tempered ex-CIA (news - web sites) spook Jack Byrnes (De Niro) and wife Dina (Danner). Hilarity ensues.

The follow-up, directed by Jay Roach and penned by Jim Herzfeld, Tim Rasmussen and Vince DiMeglio, is scheduled to start shooting March 29. Fockers is being produced by Roach and' De Niro and his Tribeca Films partner Jane Rosenthal.

At the January premiere of Along Came Polly, Stiller said his dream choice for the role of Mrs. Focker was Streisand. It looks like he got his wish.

Streisand, 62, hasn't appeared on screen since 1996's romantic comedy The Mirror Has Two Faces, which she also produced and directed. Before her extended hiatus, the Funny Lady made a movie every three to four years. After her cross-dressing turn in 1983's Yentl, she starred in 1987's Nuts, which she followed by adapting, starring and directing 1991's The Prince of Tides. Although she never formally announced her retirement from the screen, Streisand did say in 2000 that she was done with live concerts.

Streisand, who won a Best Actress Academy Award for 1969's Funny Girl,will be the third Oscar owner in the movie, joining two-time winners De Niro and Hoffman.

Her decision to take up acting again comes as Bravo just announced that Streisand will be joining James Lipton in the hot seat for a two hour interview on the April 10 installment of Inside the Actor's Studio.

Universal is targeting Meet the Fockers for a Dec. 22 release.

[truthandlife]

Very disappointing. 'Meet the Parents' was a very funny movie but with lib Babs in it I don't know how I could laugh.

[BenLurkin]

Too bad.

Loved the first movie but no way will I go to the second.

I'd pay money to NOT see Barbara Streisand.

[stevem]

I'll pass.

[Paul Atreides]

but with lib Babs in it I don't know how I could laugh.

Her character could die, in the end.

[Trillian]

That movie was horribly un-funny. I can't believe I rented it.

[hauerf]

Darn. I have scheduling conflicts for the few days that movie will be in theaters. I'll have to wait for it to come out on toilet paper.

[SouthernFreebird]

Me too.... can't remember one funny thing in it and I'm usually easily amused. It rated up there with water boy for me... stoopid and a waste of money.

[JamesA]

I guess I'll miss it.

[freekitty]

I'll pass too.

[Arkinsaw]

but with lib Babs in it I don't know how I could laugh

It's not that bad. Based on the first movie they had to cast someone who could really play a moron and I think that they have succeeded marvelously. I mean seriously, when you look around, they couldn't have gotten a better actress to portray a moron. They avoid typecasting someone as a moron because Streisand has already typecast herself as a moron. She, in fact, is uniquely prepared for this role by playing a moron and a Mother Focker most every day of her life.

The only other choice for the role of Mother Focker would be Susan Sarandon. But Susan would be too serious a Mother Focker for most peoples taste. Most people will expect a ditzy, woggle-eyed, funny-nosed Mother Focker rather than a screeching, chalk-board scraping, harpy Mother Focker.

[Psycho_Bunny]

but with lib Babs in it I don't know how I could laugh.

Her character could die, in the end.

It would be funnier if her character died in the beginning....like during the Studio Bumpers.

Perhaps her character could slip and fall off the "2" of the Twentieth Century Fox logo.

Right on the <fff of the last note.

[patriciamary]

Well that's one movie I will not see. Although she does match the part, she is a ugly Mother Focker!

[Houmatt]

Three words: Box-Office bomb.

You read it here first.

[newsmeat.com]

No surprises here, but just in case any of you are curious, here's who Babs and co have been donating cash to:
Streisand
Ben Stiller
James Brolin

[newsmeat.com]

Here's some more:
Blythe Danner
Robert Deniro
Dustin Hoffman

and for your pleasure (since someone mentioned her)...
Susan Sarandon

[Houmatt]

Universal is targeting Meet the Fockers for a Dec. 22 release.

They'd damn well better not.

[Prime Choice]

That movie was horribly un-funny. I can't believe I rented it.

I'm with you on that. My only remark after watching it was, "Well, there's 3 dollars and 90 minutes of my life I'd like back."

[StrictTime]

I enjoyed "Meet the Parents", especially for DeNiro's performance, but will have to miss B.S. in "The Fockers". It drives me crazy how she exaggerates movements with her fingers so that you notice her fingernails. She does it in every movie.

Oh, and I also hate that she's a lying, hypocritical, self-important has-been.

[Rome2000]

Yeah, a great movie and now the only way I'll see the sequel is at gunpoint.