Hollywood for Grownups: DeGeneres, Streisand and Gere

Ellen DeGeneres, Richard Gere and Barbra Streisand on a purple, blue and yellow background

(Left to right) Ellen DeGeneres, Richard Gere and Barbra Streisand

AARP (Randy Holmes/Getty Images; Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images; Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

Here in Hollywood, there’s no slacking off for older stars these days: Retirement’s no longer in their cards. Let’s dive into the third acts of some 50-plus entertainers who still morph, reinvent, even outdo themselves — in some fresh, even first-time ways.

Barbra Streisand

Taylor Hill/Getty Images

A new Barbra Streisand recording?

For the record, Barbra Streisand, 82, hasn’t released new music in six years. So how did she wind up recording the new song Love Will Survive for a Peacock TV series? The Tattooist of Auschwitz, based on a novel by Heather Morris, tells the story of an 80-year-old man (played by Harvey Keitel, 85) who falls in love with a fellow Auschwitz prisoner. “This project was blessed,” says exec producer Claire Mundell. “Composer Hans Zimmer, 66, reached out to us to score the film. When we wanted a great female vocalist — like Barbra Streisand — to provide one song, Hans said, ‘Why not?’ ” Luckily, Streisand was already in the studio recording a new album, and next thing Mundell knew, she was listening to Survive from London’s Abbey Road. The series — and Streisand’s song — are streaming on Peacock now.

Richard Gere playing the piano in the film Longing

Richard Gere stars in "Longing."

Mongrel Media

Richard Gere does double duty

Some would characterize it as a late-in-life career first. Richard Gere, 74, just had two films at the Cannes Film Fest: Oh Canada (release date not yet announced) and Longing (due out June 7), the latter a remake of a 2017 Israeli family drama. When its Israeli filmmaker Savi Gabizon, 63, was told his film might suit American audiences, his first thought was: Richard Gere. “Richard is one of the actors who shows his kindness in his eyes. It’s very easy to identify with him.” The two met via Zoom, and Gere agreed to come on board. But Gere didn’t just star. “He was the one everyone listened to!” says Gabizon. "He helped me adapt the script for American culture, he was involved in everything. Even rehearsals. He’d stay on set to work with other actors after his own scenes. Right now, he’s even involved with the poster!”

Ellen DeGeneres

Courtesy Live Nation

Ellen DeGeneres tells all

So what if her 19-season eponymous chat show ended on a down note? In true Ellen DeGeneres form, the candid comedienne’s now going to talk about it. All about it. First she’ll talk about it on “Ellen’s Last Stand ... Up,” a multicity tour (and her first return to live stand-up after six years), kicking off June 19 in San Diego. And later this year, she’ll talk about it longer on what will be her last Netflix special: Yes, I’m Going to Talk About It. The “it,” of course, refers to accusations made by longtime Ellen DeGeneres Show staffers of a toxic work environment. Media scandals are ripe for comedy these days: Think Chris Rock, 59, and John Mulaney. Meanwhile, DeGeneres’ A Very Good Production Inc. company lists 11 projects in development: multiple TV series, a thriller named Jekyll (featuring the only descendant of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and a comedy called How to Get Run Over by a Truck — most with DeGeneres, 66, not talking but, rather, standing behind the camera.

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Hollywood reporter Merle Ginsberg has written about celebrities, film, TV, music and fashion for publications including The New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, The Daily Beast, Cosmopolitan and more.

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