Barbra Streisand's Blind Date With Actor James Brolin Turned Into 23 Years Of Successful Marriage

Mar 11, 2022

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 years later, 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. 

Brolin and Streisand have a strong marriage, but in the beginning, the actor's friends warned him not to pursue the singer and even called her a "tough one." Clearly, Brolin did not let this hold him back, and now he feels he has found his "perfect" match. Read on to learn more about this famous couple and how they got together.  

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."

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 got married on July 1, 1998, but Streisand revealed to W Magazine in 2016 the details about their first date:

"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."

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 over 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. 

When Brolin and Streisand first started dating, he recalls that his friends initially discouraged him from marrying the singer. "I heard it over, that she's a tough one," he said on The Talk. Fortunately, he did not heed their warnings, and the pair have been blissfully happy ever since.

Streisand jokingly revealed that Brolin had claimed he could cook at the beginning of their relationship, which instantly made the singer think of him as a catch. "So he came with a sushi roller, that wooden thing and made sushi and I love sushi," she recalled when speaking on The Meredith Vieira Show. "So, I thought, 'This is really great.' He has never cooked again."

The couple has been together for over 23 years. Brolin also mentioned that his wife has made him become a better person over that time. "We do it for each other but I must say, she was the instigator, I never thought of treating women that good, and she's got me in line now and I love every minute of it," he said.

Although the pair are still as in love as ever, a successful marriage always entails work from both parties. "Kindness and honesty are the pillars of a happy marriage," Streisand told Extra TV. "Loving people share absolutely everything with each other."

To keep the spark alive, Streisand makes sure to leave her husband romantic notes that he can see when he is away, so he knows she is thinking of him. "I'm always welcome when I get home," Brolin told Entertainment Tonight. "I always get notes, 'Hurry home!' When I get there, there's always something kind of great waiting for me, some plan, and I try to reciprocate."

What do you think of Brolin and Streisand's relationship? Would you ever go on a blind date? Let us know, and feel free to send this along to your friends and family that love Brolin and Streisand's work.