James Brolin made a shocking admission during his appearance in his wife Barbra Streisand’s recent interview when he admitted that he didn’t have sex for three years before they got married.
The 83-year-old actor was stunned CBS Sunday morning interviewer Gayle King with the confession, which meant he and Streisand, 81, did not have sex during their entire courtship.
The revelation came just days before Barbra claimed in another interview on Tuesday that the release of her new memoir My Name Is Barbra marked the end of her performing career.
James brought up his years of celibacy unprompted after his wife was questioned about why she let him propose to her three times before agreeing to marry him.
“I have to try it out for at least three years,” she joked.
Self-control: James Brolin, 83, revealed on CBS Sunday Morning that he was ‘celibate’ for three years before marrying Barbra Streisand, 81 – including when they dated
His turn to tell: The revelation was rare from Brolin and came as part of the publicity tour for his wife’s new memoir, My Name Is Barbra
“And I literally was – this is a wild word – I had been celibate for three years and said, ‘Who needs this?’ he said.
“You can’t tell me that!” said a shocked Barbra, playfully slapping his knee.
“I had no interest in getting involved in a bad situation,” James added.
Then Barbra stepped in to explain that he had been “married twice before,” while she had already had a previous marriage, and James worried that he might end up in another doomed relationship.
Streisand’s previous marriage was to Long Goodbye star Elliott Gould from 1963 to 1971, while Brolin was married to Jane Cameron Agee from 1966 to 1984 and to Jan Smithers from 1986 to 1995.
Barbra welcomed a son named Jason Gould during her marriage, while James has two sons – including No Country For Old Men actor Josh Brolin – from his first marriage and a daughter from his second marriage.
Gayle King couldn’t resist making a joke about James and Barbra’s wedding night after years of sexless dating.
“After three years, that must have been a great night,” she said.
Keeping to himself: ‘And I was literally – this is a wild word – I had been celibate for three years and said, ‘Who needs this?’ he said, shocking Barbra
Pessimistic: “I had no interest in getting involved in a bad situation,” James added, and his wife explained that he was afraid things wouldn’t work out since he had been married twice and she was married once.
Lovebirds: The couple started dating in 1996 and married in 1998. They recently celebrated their 25th anniversary together, and King read a sweet letter Brolin wrote for Streisand; seen in 2019 in Beverly Hills
‘Wild!’ James growled in response, gritting his teeth playfully as Barbra burst out laughing and turned to look into his eyes.
The couple just celebrated their 25th anniversary, and King took the opportunity to celebrate the two by reading a letter Brolin wrote to Streisand on the occasion of their anniversary.
“Home is not a place, home is a person,” King read from his letter. “You know someone is right for you when you love being with them all the time, and when I go, when I finally go, I will love you.”
Barbra lovingly responded, “You wrote that, honey! And I was in shock.’