James Brolin revealed the secret to his lasting marriage to Barbra Streisand, and his answer was rather unexpected.
“The best investment we’ve ever made is our mattress,” he said during an appearance on Today on Tuesday, April 15. “And don’t misunderstand me. We’re both lazy. We love to sleep late. We do a lot of our work on the phone, on paper, reading, right next to each other.”
Additionally, James, 84, said when it comes to handling conflicts with his wife, “You learn to take a walk. Both of us, not just me! I just think you gotta say, ‘OK, take a deep breath, take a walk.’”
“Because animals do the same thing, you know? Humans do it to each other, animals do it to each other,” the Life in Pieces actor said.
James playfully said he couldn’t remember how long he and Barbra, 82, have been together. The pair got married in 1998.
“It’s 27 — I better know this. It’s 27, 28?” he said, before eventually clarifying, “It will be 30 years on July 1. We met on July 1. We married on July 1 two years later.”
The Funny Girl star previously revealed what she deemed the secret to their relationship after several decades of being together.
“The secret is to listen carefully,” Barbra told Variety in August 2021. “I think to be a good actor, you have to listen. To be a good person, you have to listen. To be a good marriage partner, you have to listen. Hear the other person. Agree to disagree.”
In the same interview, she gushed over the beautiful blended family that she and James have together. “I’m enjoying my grandchildren and there’s nothing like family and home and pure love and joy and connection,” she said. “That is the most important thing to me now.”
Barbra shares son Jason Gould with ex-husband Elliott Gould, while James welcomed sons Josh and Jess Brolin with late ex-wife Jane Cameron Agee and daughter Molly Brolin with ex-wife Jan Smithers. Barbra and James are proud grandparents of Josh’s four kids: Trevor, Eden, Westlyn and Chapel.
A source previously told Closer that Barbra and James were closer than ever as they continued to make memories with their family in their 80s.
“They truly love each other,” the friend of the couple said in October 2023. “They get along great, are best friends and are still attracted to each other.”
The source said that Barbra and her son still had a tight bond, adding, “She and Jason are close. They talk often.”
While speaking with BBC in November 2023, Barbra shared her hopes for the future, including spending more quality time with her loving family.
“I want to live life,” the Meet the Fockers actress said.. “I want to get in my husband’s truck and just wander, hopefully with the children somewhere near us. Life is fun for me when they come over. They love playing with the dogs and we have fun.”
“I haven’t had much fun in my life, to tell you the truth,” she continued. “And I want to have more fun.”