Barbra Streisand shared a heartfelt tribute to A Star Is Born costar Kris Kristofferson after his death at age 88 on September 28. The pair costarred together in 1976’s A Star Is Born .
“The first time I saw Kris performing at the Troubadour club in L.A. I knew he was something special,” Barbra, 82, wrote in a caption on Instagram on Sunday, September 29. “Barefoot and strumming his guitar, he seemed like the perfect choice for a script I was developing, which eventually became A Star Is Born.”
“In the movie, Kris and I sang the song I’d written for the film’s main love theme, ‘Evergreen,’” she continued. “For my latest concert in 2019 at London’s Hyde Park, I asked Kris to join me on-stage to sing our other A Star Is Born duet, ‘Lost Inside Of You.’ He was as charming as ever, and the audience showered him with applause. It was a joy seeing him receive the recognition and love he so richly deserved. My thoughts go to Kris’ wife, Lisa who I know supported him in every way possible.”
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The film earned Kristofferson the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical along with the Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Barbra.
“Kris was an extraordinary talent and such a kind and lovely human being. My heart is with Lisa. And my condolences go out to you,” Linda Thompson wrote under Barbra’s post.
“This is so sad. A magical chemistry both singing and acting together. He was special,” Carnie Wilson wrote in a comment.
Kristofferson’s family announced his death in a statement on Sunday. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Meyers , his eight kids and seven grandchildren.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news our husband/father/grandfather, Kris Kristofferson, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 28 at home,” the statement said. “We’re all so blessed for our time with him. Thank you for loving him all these many years, and when you see a rainbow, know he’s smiling down at us all.”
Tributes poured in from Hollywood and fans who admired the work of the singer-songwriter.
“What a gentleman, kind soul, and a lover of words. I am so glad I got to meet him and be around him. One of my favorite people. Rest in peace, Kris,” Reba McEntire wrote on X on Sunday.
“What a great loss What a great writer What a great actor What a great friend,” Dolly Parton wrote in her Instagram Stories. “I will always love you, Dolly.”
In 2021, Kristofferson’s team announced his retirement, as he and Lisa continued to live a quiet life in Maui up until his death.
“It wasn’t any big stake in the ground, like ‘I’m retiring! I’m not doing this anymore!” Tamara Saviano , his manager, said in a statement to Variety at the time. “It was an evolution, and it just felt very organic. There was no big change — it was this sort of slow ‘What should we do now? What’s next?’ And here we are in the middle of a pandemic… It was like, ‘Yeah, let’s retire.’ To us on this side of the fence it was an organic, normal, ‘things are changing’ thing. Kris is aging; Kris is 84. It didn’t feel like such big news to us. That’s why there was no announcement: It was just sort of a slow changing of the guard thing.”
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