After years of partnerships with different men, Barbra Streisand found true love with James Brolin, with the couple tying the knot in ’98 and celebrating their 25th anniversary this summer. Ahead of their holy matrimony, both award-winning actors revealed, Brolin had actually been celibate for three years leading up to their marriage.
The two first crossed paths in July of ’96 while on a blind date arranged by some mutual friends. During this fateful meeting of soulmates making a first impression, Streisand… made fun of his hair. For Brolin, it was then he knew she was the one for him.
Barbra Streisand and James Brolin reveal he was celibate for years before marrying her
July 1 marked the 25th anniversary between Brolin and Streisand. They’ve spent this year of the silver-themed anniversary looking forward to many more together. The pair spoke with Gayle King of CBS Mornings about the evolution of their relationship, including before things became official between them.
“I had been — literally it’s a wild word — but I had been celibate for three years, saying, ‘Who needs this?'” Brolin revealed to King.
RELATED: An Inside Look At Barbra Streisand’s 23-Year-Long Marriage To James Brolin
At that point in the interview, Streisand cut in scoldingly, saying, “You’re not supposed to tell that,” accompanied by a playful hit to the knee.
King reiterated, “For three years?”
To this, Brolin explained, “I had not had any interest in getting involved in a lousy situation.”
The rule of threes got Streisand and Brolin to their 25th anniversary
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After Brolin dropped this little tidbit, King teased, “After three years, that must have been a hell of a night then?” Brolin confirmed this and added, “Wild!”
Part of his trepidation came from both of their independent histories with romance. Getting with Streisand would be his third big commitment after being “married twice before” hadn’t worked out well, Streisand explained. In contrast, Streisand “was only married once.”
Third time’s the charm, though, in marriage and in asking for said marriage. “She wasn’t sure about this idea,” Brolin revealed to King, with Streisand adding that she “had to try him out” first. She had to try him out so much so that Brolin had to ask Streisand to marry him a total of – you guessed it – three times before she said yes.
Fittingly, as she was getting together with Brolin, Streisand also had her 1996 rom-com The Mirror Has Two Faces fresh on her mind, complete with its plot about finding love at an older age.
“In a way, my getting together with (Brolin) is life imitating art, like you dream the film and then you manifest the film,” she mused. “Also, it’s when you’re ready to receive and to give in this area. I couldn’t have met him while I was making this movie. I wouldn’t have been open.” When they got married, the ceremony was at their shared Los Angeles home, witnessed by several A-list stars, including Rita Wilson, Marlon Brando, John Travolta and Kelly Preston.
Now, Brolin and Streisand are enjoying their 25th wedding anniversary – and many more to come.
