Oscars 2020: Barbra Streisand Responds to Eminem’s Surprise Performance 17 Years After Presenting His Academy Award

Barbra Streisand is speaking out following Eminem‘s surprise performance of “Lose Yourself” at the Oscars Sunday night. Although Streisand had missed out on presenting him the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2003, the actress said that she was “looking forward to handing” him the award in a tweet shared just hours after the rapper took the stage to perform the song from his semi-biographical film 8 Mile.

At the 75th Academy Awards back in 2003, Eminem’s co-writer Luis Resto had accepted the award alone. Taking the mic after being handed the Oscar from Streisand, Resto said that “this all goes to Marshall.”

“I’m privileged, grateful to be involved in this song,” he continued. “It’s a great thing working with Marshall, day in and day out. He’s creative, he has symphonies in his head that I’m privileged to put on a tape. He’s a good man, a good heart.”

Speaking to Variety, Eminem explained that he had missed that 2003 win because he never believed “Lose Yourself” would win an Oscar. The song had been competing against fellow nominees U2’s “The Hands That Built America” from Gangs of New York, Paul Simon’s “Father and Daughter” from The Wild Thornberrys Movie, “Burn It Blue” form Friday, and “I Move On” from that year’s Best Picture winner, Chicago.

“Back then, I never even thought that I had a chance to win, and we had just performed ‘Lose Yourself’ on the Grammys with the Roots a couple of weeks before the Oscars, so we didn’t think it was a good idea,” he said. “And also, back at that time, the younger me didn’t really feel like a show like that would understand me.”

Explaining his decision to take the stage Sunday night nearly 20 years after scoring his first Oscar, Eminen said that he “kinda figured maybe since I didn’t get a chance to do it at the time, maybe it would be cool.”

Sunday night’s performance was highlight of the show, drawing thousands of reactions from those watching from home, including a number of celebrities. Responding to the applause, Eminem later tweeted his thanks.