Barbra Streisand and James Brolin have been married for 25 years this year. They’ve been open with the media about their relationship, talking about finding love later in life.
Now, they’ve shared a secret about their romance that they kept hidden for years. Keep reading to find out more about what they revealed!
Barbra Streisand and James Brolin’s love story began like many others—with a blind date. They were set up to meet, but Barbra had a very different idea of what James might look like.
Barbra Streisand thought she was meeting a man with a full head of hair and a beard, but James Brolin was actually bald.
Being very honest, Streisand told him his hair was messed up. Instead of being offended, Brolin was charmed by her honesty and knew she was the one for him.
Shutterstock
Unlike Brolin, it took Streisand a few more dates to be sure of her feelings for him. But soon, they were completely in love and got married in 1998.
This wasn’t the first marriage for either of them. Streisand was married to Elliot Gould from 1961 to 1973, and they have a son named Jason. Brolin had been married twice before: to casting agent Jane Agee for 20 years and then to Jane Smithers for almost 10 years.
Brolin has three children from his previous marriages: Josh, Jess, and Molly Brolin. He is also a grandfather to four kids: Eden, Trevor, Westlyn, and Chapel.
Brolin is head over heels for his wife and can’t imagine life without her. He once said, “Every night is a new adventure. Sleeping is a waste of time. I can’t wait to see her again in the morning.”
This summer, the couple celebrated 25 years of marriage and shared a big secret. In an interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, they revealed something not many people knew. Before meeting Streisand, Brolin had been celibate for three years.
“I had been — literally it’s a wild word — but I had been celibate for three years, saying, ‘Who needs this?’” Brolin shared in the interview.
Streisand playfully scolded him, saying, “You’re not supposed to tell that.”
King was surprised, saying, “For three years?”
Brolin replied, “I had no interest in getting involved in a lousy situation.”
King then asked, “After three years, that must have been a hell of a night then?” Brolin confirmed this and added, “Wild!”
He hadn’t wanted to get intimate with anyone because of his two failed marriages. He didn’t see the point in getting into another relationship that might not work out.
But after a friend convinced him to meet Barbra, his views changed, and he knew he had to marry her. It took a little more convincing for Streisand, and she said yes only after he asked her for the third time.
If you enjoyed this story, check out the one below about the love story of Barbra Streisand and James Brolin.