"You learn to take a walk"—James Brolin shares the secret behind nearly 30 years with Barbra Streisand

Actor James Brolin has been with partner Barbra Streisand for 29 years. The couple resides in Malibu, California, and Brolin is the stepfather of Streisand's only child from her previous marriage, Jason Gould. James has two children from his first marriage to wildlife activist and actress Jane Cameron Agee, including his first son, Josh, who is universally recognized for his several film roles over the years, including his portrayal of Thanos in the MCU.

During a recent Today show appearance on April 15, the now 84-year-old actor was asked about his relationship with the larger-than-life Streisand, whom he met on a blind date in 1996 and proposed to 2 years later.

When asked about the secret of the couple’s success, James divulged some interesting strategies, including the power of sometimes just walking away from something minor before it spirals out of control.

"You learn to take a walk. Both of us, not just me! I just think you gotta say, ‘Okay, take a deep breath, take a walk' "

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James Brolin talked about his marriage on the Today Show

When on the topic of walking away to diffuse a given situation with his partner, Brolin expanded,

“Because animals do the same thing, you know? Humans do it to each other, animals do it to each other."

Also in the interview, Brolin pointed out the value in the couple being around each other while doing their own thing and referenced a piece of furniture as the conduit for their ability to do so.

"The best investment we’ve ever made is our mattress. 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."

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Brolin has shared some secrets about how to maintain a healthy relationship. In September 2022, when speaking to People Magazine, Brolin extended some similar advice regarding the optimum conditions for a healthy marriage.

"I think everybody needs to be a negotiator, everybody needs to have patience and know when to take a walk."

Streisand, for her part, is no stranger to giving her husband his flowers. This includes regular acknowledgments of their shared history via social media, including this touching post to celebrate their wedding anniversary last year. The simple but sweet caption reads,

"Happy birthday to my 28 years together honey 🎂"

With so much dysfunction usually associated with being in a committed relationship as celebrities, it’s endearing to see the aging couple continue to put efforts into maintaining a harmonious balance between their public and personal lives. James Brolin and Barbra Streisand exist as a beacon of hope that two people in the public eye can make it work, as long as the willingness to work on themselves is an implicit agreement.