Oscars 2019: Barbra Streisand Receives Lengthy Standing Ovation

Living legend Barbra Streisand got a standing ovation at the 91st Academy Awards when she took the stage to introduce Best Picture Oscar nominee BlacKkKlansman.

Streisand was an unlikely choice to introduce the movie, but she explained how much she loved the film. The two-time Oscar-winning actress and singer said she tweeted about how much she loved the film and received a letter from director Spike Lee for her praise. The two are also from Brooklyn, New York.

Streisand tweeted several times about BlacKkKlansman after she first saw it.

"I just saw an amazing film - it is so brilliant and so timely! It's by Spike Lee and it's called BlacKkKlansman," she wrote in May.

"A great line from Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman: 'It's a great time for America to show it's greatness again,'" she added in August.

Streisand won Best Actress for her role in her first movie, 1968's Funny Girl. She also shares an Oscar with Paul Williams for Best Original Song for "Evergreen," the song from the 1976 A Star Is Born. Coincidentally, Bradley Cooper's 2018 remake of A Star Is Born won the same award for "Shallow," written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt and Anthony Rossomando.

BlacKkKlansman is based on the true story of Ron Stallworth, a black Colorado police detective who infiltrated a local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan with a Jewish colleague, "Flip" Zimmerman. Stallworth was played by John David Washington, the son of Denzel Washington, and Adam Driver played Zimmerman.

The film won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, giving Lee his first ever competitive Oscar win. The film's other nominations were for Best Picture; Best Supporting Actor for Driver; Best Original Score for Terence Blanchard; and Best Film Editing for Barry Alexander Brown.

Streisand's ovation drew applause from the viewers at home, many of whom were envious of Streisand getting one just for being on the stage.

Barbra Streisand now only needs to show up for a standing ovation. Also, @RichardEGrant’s reaction is priceless. #Oscars pic.twitter.com/ANK8EpjiqC

— Lance Ulanoff (@LanceUlanoff) February 25, 2019

how great to be the kind of person who just gets a standing ovation when you walk into a room a la barbra streisand #oscars

— Diana Pearl (@dianapearl_) February 25, 2019

Standing ovation for the queen, legend and icon Barbra Streisand! #Oscars⁠ ⁠ pic.twitter.com/tLiAtbvPo6

— ThaAmazingOutlaw🇧🇷 (@outlaw961) February 25, 2019

Imagine being Barbra Streisand. Just imagine being Barbra Streisand and getting a standing ovation just for existing. Then you get to go home to James Brolin and your cloned dogs to a room like this. That would be awesome. We should all be Barbra. pic.twitter.com/YdCzJLiUjn

— Mx. Amadi (@amaditalks) February 25, 2019

Streisand most recently appeared in 2012's Guilt Trip and released her new album Walls in November.

Photo credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images