Barbra Streisand

NEW YORK — Barbra Streisand remembers the buzz generated before she started filming the musical "Yentl," and it wasn't particularly good.

Despite her superstar status and two Oscars (one best actress trophy, another for composing) she recalls hearing negative comments about whether she could pull off the Herculean task of starring, directing, co-writing and producing the period piece about a Jewish woman who disguises herself as a man to pursue an education.

"Women being actresses, somehow, in certain people's minds, in executives' minds, it's a frivolous job," she said in phone interview. "When you start to handle millions of dollars and production, that probably scared them."

The movie's success should have allayed those fears — "Yentl" garnered Oscar nominations and two Golden Globes. Now, 25 years later, the 66-year-old Streisand is reminiscing about what it took to get the movie made in this week's DVD release.

It's not the only project Streisand is working on these days. She's finishing an upcoming CD being produced by best-selling jazz singer Diana Krall, and she regularly keeps busy with her Web site, which includes the liberal Democrat's musings on politics.

QUESTION: What was the most challenging part of making "Yentl"?ANSWER: I think it was just getting it made, selling it in America. Because once I came to England, things were really wonderful. They had no fear of a woman being in a powerful position because they had a queen and the prime minister was Margaret Thatcher. Being a woman director there didn't seem to scare them. They were the most supportive, helpful, wonderful group of people. I'm very grateful for that. It wasn't until I came back to America it was an odd thing, directing this movie, before I started and after I finished, and that's really fascinating to me. And look how many years it's taken to even conceive of a women being president?

QUESTION: You were a vocal critic of former President George W. Bush, but said he was very gracious after he gave you a kiss during the Kennedy Center Honors.ANSWER: It still doesn't change my mind about his politics, the ruination of our country. But, he was very disarming and very nice.

QUESTION: But, you didn't attend the Obama inauguration?ANSWER: I was supposed to go, I was asked to go, but I'm in the middle of this recording ... and I just couldn't go. It was the most thrilling thing to watch this man Obama, Barack Obama, become the president of United States. It's such a wonderful thing for our country and our world. He's so intelligent and so smart, and that is such a change, and such a relief.

QUESTION: Diana Krall is producing your new album. Is she also singing on it?ANSWER: I'm trying to convince her to sing with me, but she's resisting it. She plays the piano for me on several songs, but it's not over yet.

QUESTION: Will you return to film?ANSWER: I'd like to get back to directing. There's something I've been working on for many many years, and it's kind of almost time to get back into my directing role."