In the entertainment industry, it often seems as though couples are doomed to fail, with many divorcing or separating after a few years. Naturally, there are always some exceptions, such as Helen Mirren. One notable exception is Barbra Streisand and James Brolin.
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Before getting together, both had been married before — Streisand to fellow actor Elliott Gould from 1963 to 1969, with the divorce being finalised in 1971. Together, they had a son, Jason.
Brolin had been married twice before — first to Jane Cameron Agee from 1966 to 1984. They had two sons: Josh, who went on to become an actor, and Jess, who lives a quiet life. His second marriage was to Jan Smithers from 1986 to 1995, with whom he had a daughter, Molly.
Barbra Streisand and James Brolin’s relationship
Barbra Streisand and James Brolin first met on July 1, 1996, after a mutual friend set them up for a blind date at a dinner party.
Speaking about their first date, Streisand revealed Brolin hadn’t been what she was expecting, as he had cut his hair and shaved his beard. Her comment to him when they first met made Brolin fall in love with her.
She had simply said, as per Daily Mail:
Who screwed up your hair?
Streisand later revealed on The Tonight Show back in 2021 that her being honest is what made Brolin fall in love:
He later told me that's when he fell in love with me. My fella likes to hear the truth, which is unusual.
Barbra and James made their first public appearance together in November 1996. Their first red carpet as a couple was at the 69th Academy Awards in March 1997.
Exactly two years after their first date, on July 1, 1998, Barbra and James tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony at Barbra’s California home, where they still reside. Some of the celebrities invited to the celebration included Tom Hanks, John Travolta, and Marlon Brando.
As Streisand and Brolin approach their 30th anniversary, James shared the secret to keeping their marriage alive.
The secret to James Brolin and Barbra Streisand’s marriage
James Brolin was recently (April 15) a guest on The Today Show, where he discussed his long-term marriage to Barbra Streisand. He revealed the secret to keeping their marriage strong was their mattress.
Understanding the nuance this could imply, he explained that they are both ‘lazy’ and ‘love to sleep late’.
As per People, Brolin said:
The best investment we've ever made is our mattress, and don't misunderstand me. We're both lazy. We love to sleep late.
We do a lot of our work on the phone, on paper, reading, right next to each other.
He then added that frequent walks together help them continue to bond, even 30 years later.
You learn to take a walk. Both of us, not just me! I just think you gotta say, "Okay, take a deep breath, take a walk”.
Moreover, back in 2022, Brolin explained that ‘patience’ is very important in a marriage and again talked about knowing ‘when to take a walk’.
Read more:
Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Lopez: These celebrities have been married three times or more
Phil Collins has been married three times: Here's a look inside his failed marriages
Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane reveals ALS diagnosis weeks after wife calls off divorce
Sources used:
Daily Mail: ‘Barbra Streisand's husband James Brolin reveals bedroom secret that has kept their 30-year marriage alive’
Hello!: ‘Barbra Streisand and James Brolin's 30-year romance: from their blind date to step parenting’
People: ‘James Brolin Reveals the Secret to His Nearly 30-Year Marriage with Barbra Streisand: 'Our Mattress'
