Barbra Streisand thinks her attitude has "scared" a lot of men during her career.

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand

The 76-year-old icon has always been an extremely ambitious and opinionated person, but she's conceded that her assertive approach has also alienated some people.

Barbra - who has been married to actor James Brolin since 1998 - shared: "I didn't want to stay in my place.

"I started out wanting to be an actress and I got to acting through my singing. But then that wasn't enough. I wanted to shape things,

"I wanted to write. I wanted to direct. I wanted to produce. I wanted to make decisions. And that got me into trouble.

"A woman in control: that scared men. It scared other women! They weren't ready for it."

Despite this, Barbra has always refused to bite her tongue and keep her opinions private.

She told the Guardian newspaper: "That's my problem. I would constantly get attacked; I still get attacked.

"I remember a line from George Bernard Shaw's play 'Saint Joan': 'He who tells too much truth shall surely be hanged.'

"I was making TV movies about subjects I loved, about gun control, gay rights, about Margarethe Cammermeyer, who was ousted from the army for telling the truth about her sexuality, and that didn't make me more popular with a lot of people.

"But it's what I believe in my heart is what decency is, and fairness. So that's what I stand up for."

In spite of her assertive nature, Barbra still feels anxious when she has to perform in front of a live audience.

The 'A Star Is Born' actress said: "I'm scared to go on stage! I still have stage fright. What's that about?

"I'd love to do more concerts, and go and sing my new songs, but it's kind of traumatic for me."