James Brolin Says His Relationship With Barbra Streisand Is 'Better Than Ever' Since Lockdown

Jun 14, 2021 by apost team

Barbra Streisand is an absolute legend in the entertainment industry. One of the few entertainers to have been awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award (EGOT), Streisand can really do it all. 

After getting her start by performing in nightclubs and on Broadway in the 1960s, she soon transitioned to film and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her iconic portrayal of Fanny Brice in "Funny Girl" in 1968. She continued to have success both musically and in Hollywood, even winning a second Oscar for her work composing music for the 1976 version of "A Star Is Born."

Now at 79, Streisand is still a force to be reckoned with, often collaborating with other musicians including Andrea Bocelli, Stevie Wonder, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé and more. 

But one aspect of her life that isn't in the public eye as much as her career is her love life. She was married to actor Elliott Gould for much of the '60s and together the couple has a son, Jason Gould. After divorcing in the early '70s, Streisand went on to have a couple of other relationships, until she married actor James Brolin in 1998. The couple is one of Hollywood's more understated romances, but that doesn't mean their love isn't passionate. 

In fact, Brolin recently had a virtual appearance on "The Talk," where he revealed that the pandemic had actually caused them to fall in love all over again. Gushing over their relationship, the 80-year-old spoke nothing but kind words about his wife of nearly 23 years, even revealing some of the ways in which he surprises her.

As reported by People, James Brolin opened up on "The Talk," where he spoke to co-host Sheryl Underwood about the compatibility he and his wife Barbra Streisand have together:

"I like women who say their peace, and I'm a calming factor, and she gets me up and doing things I wouldn't normally accomplish. It's like a perfect situation, the two of us."

He went on to discuss how their time locked down together during the pandemic actually brought them a lot closer and even made them fall in love all over again. He said:

"We, for a long time, were put out by COVID. And a lot of people, their marriages haven't gone well during these 15 months ... We've literally fallen in love over this period of time, just being stuck together every day and making it work."

Going on, he even gave some insight into what helps make their marriage work, and it's all about communication and not leaving an argument open. He revealed:

"Neither one of us have ever gone out the door [after] an argument and we are good at talking things out. And 23 years is better than ever, I must say."

The couple, who got married on July 1, 1998, actually met when they were set up on a blind date! Streisand revealed to W Magazine in 2016:

"I met him at a dinner and expected a bearded mountain-man type, and he had cut off all his hair and was clean-shaven. I asked him, 'Who screwed up your hair?' He later told me that's when he fell in love with me. My fella likes to hear the truth, which is unusual."

apost.com

In the same interview with W Magazine, when asked if men were afraid to ask her out on dates, Streisand admitted:

"I would think so. There's a certain amount of intimidation and fear."

Well, then it's just as well that she and Brolin met on a blind date! For nearly 23 years the couple has stayed strong, but despite being incredibly successful individually, they've for the most part let their careers do the talking and kept their relationship to themselves. And perhaps that's one of the secrets to their success. However, while speaking to co-host Elaine Welteroth on "The Talk," Brolin admitted that "every once in a while when it's not expected," he surprises his wife with something thoughtful. He added:

"I'll do a good piece of jewelry, and she's pretty picky, so they're not all what she would've picked out, but every once in a while I score."

In another interview Brolin did earlier this year with "Access Hollywood," he spoke about the couple's four grandchildren with whom they absolutely love spending time. But due to the current global situation, they haven't been able to see them as much, although they did spend a lot of time calling virtually via Zoom. He even revealed that Streisand keeps buying gifts for the grandkids, as he joked that they'd "better get a storage room somewhere."

In the same interview, he reiterated what he said on "The Talk," speaking about how the time together has really drawn the couple closer and even helped them to negotiate with each other better.

Did you know Barbra Streisand and James Brolin have been married for so many years? What do you think about their secrets to a happy marriage? If this story resonated with you, be sure to pass it on to those you know!