The Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago icon suffered a fatal heart attack on Friday (10Jul15), aged 83, and pals including his The 13th Warrior co-star Antonio Banderas and his 10,000 BC director Roland Emmerich were among the celebrities to offer up sweet messages online.

Now Streisand has added her tribute to Sharif, recalling how he rose above the criticism of his casting and their interracial love scene in 1968's Funny Girl to deliver a remarkable performance.

In a statement, she writes: "Omar was my first leading man in the movies. He was handsome, sophisticated and charming. He was a proud Egyptian and in some people's eyes, the idea of casting him in 'Funny Girl' was considered controversial. Yet somehow, under the direction of William Wyler, the romantic chemistry between Nicky Arnstein (his character) and Fanny Brice (Streisand's character) transcended stereotypes and prejudice.

"I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Omar, and I'm profoundly sad to hear of his passing."

The role won Streisand the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1969.