Barbra Streisand and James Brolin fell in love when they were both over 50, and today, after nearly 25 years of marriage, their love is stronger than ever.
The couple first met in 1996 when they were set up on a blind date at a dinner party and instantly clicked. At that time, The Way We Were actress was 54 and Brolin was 56.
“We were set up as a blind date, and I was so shy that I came into the house and I went downstairs to be with the children and play with them until I had to sit down at the table,” Barbra told Jimmy Fallon in 2021.
“I expected a guy with a brown beard and brown, wavy hair, like a mountain man,” she joked. “And I saw a guy that had all his hair cut off, no beard. And I walked by him. I put my hand through his hair and said, ‘Who f—ed up your hair?’”
After their first date, the Marcus Welby actor went to Ireland to direct his political thriller, My Brother’s War.
But despite the distance, the couple stayed in touch and would talk daily on long phone calls.
“I remember falling asleep on the bathroom floor with the phone pressed against my ear,” Streisand told PEOPLE in 1998.
In 1996, the Funny Girl star spoke to the Los Angeles Times for her film, The Mirror Has Two Faces, and also discussed her relationship with James.
“I couldn’t have met him while I was making this movie. I wouldn’t have been open. Once the movie was done and I could relax and edit the movie in my house, which is the fun part, I was open to a relationship again, and it manifested itself,” she said.
After going out for two years, the duo tied the knot in a much-anticipated wedding ceremony in Malibu. Many stars and celebrities, including John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Rita Wilson, and Tom Hanks, attended their wedding.
“We wanted to be surrounded by people we’ve loved for a long time,” the icon told PEOPLE.
Both Barbra and James had children from their previous marriages; before James, Streisand married Elliot Gould and had one son with him.
Brolin, on the other hand, married twice and had three children.
In 2018, the couple celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary and wrote a sweet message for Brolin on Instagram.
“Has it really been 22 years since our blind date @jamesbrolin_?” she wrote alongside their picture. “Married for 20 years. Happy anniversary honey. Bee. X.”
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, James revealed that the secret to their happy and successful marriage is “couples therapy.”
“I do believe in counseling if anybody ever has a problem in their marriage. Bring in a referee, talk it over, and I swear to you, it will dispel by the end of the session, each time,” he said.
What are your thoughts on their adorable love story and relationship? Let us know in the comments.
Sources: PEOPLE
