Barbra Streisand to Be Mother
Focker?
Barbra Streisand is
seriously considering becoming a Focker. I am told that the
actress-director-singer will likely say yes to an offer from the producers of
"Meet the Parents" to play Ben Stiller�s mother in the
upcoming sequel called "Meet the Fockers" (Stiller played the
unfortunately-named Greg Focker in the original). Dustin
Hoffman is already signed on as a Focker and will play Stiller�s
father. Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner will
reprise their roles as Stiller�s in-laws, with Teri Polo as
his wife.
Maybe this will distract her from the
political action this year in the presidential race.
Streisand�s last film project was "The Mirror
Has Two Faces," which was released in 1996. She has been mostly inactive in
the film world, looking for projects she can direct. But Jay Roach, the
director of "Meet the Parents" and the Austin Powers movies, will be calling
the shots on this project. Three screenwriters are credited with the "Meet the
Fockers" script, but John Hamburg � the original writer
of "Meet the Parents" � is not included. Hamburg wrote the current Stiller hit
"Along Came Polly" and was the uncredited script doctor on the very
"Parents"-like Miramax flop "Duplex."
If Streisand signs on the dotted line � and
I�m told she will � producers DeNiro and Jane
Rosenthal will really have scored a coup. DeNiro, Hoffman, and
Streisand in one film promises a box office bonanza now matter how repetitive
the script is from the first movie. And Streisand will give the group added
zest. Many people have probably forgotten this, but her best work is in the
comedy field. Just check out Peter Bogdanovich�s underrated
classic, "What�s Up Doc?" and see what I mean. If Streisand can get away from
backlighting and dreamy, self-conscious close ups and get back to her comic
timing, she could very well quip her way back into a big movie career.
But one question: doesn�t this part suggest
she will play a monstrous mother-in-law and cloying, over-powering mother?
Isn�t that the same sort of role Jennifer Lopez�s people want
Jane Fonda to play in "Monster in Law"? Just
asking!
