Highlights
- James Haven comes out as gay in live stream with ex-wife Romi Imbelli
- Haven, 53, read a personal letter about hiding his sexuality since childhood
- Imbelli says she helped “set someone free,” will always love Haven as family
Angelina Jolie‘s brother, James Haven, has come out as gay, revealing his truth in a candid live stream with his ex-wife, Romi Imbelli.
Haven, 53, shared the news Thursday (August 6, 2026) during a joint appearance on Imbelli’s Substack, Breathe Mija, where the former couple opened up about how their relationship transformed and how he finally found the words for who he is.
The actor read from a personal letter during the broadcast, tracing his journey back to childhood. He recalled being “absolutely obsessed with the Disney princesses” as a boy, sneaking glitter onto his cheeks and mascara onto his lashes because, in those moments, he felt like magic.
Haven explained that, as a child, he did not have the vocabulary to understand what he was feeling, only that it made him feel more like himself.
As he got older, that sense of wonder gave way to self-doubt. Haven said he began to wonder whether that spark was something he needed to hide to fit in with the other boys around him, adding that, like many gay kids, he learned to question parts of himself before he learned to embrace them.
Per TMZ, Haven’s letter goes on to insist that the little boy with glitter on his face was never broken or something to be ashamed of. He was simply gay, joyful and brave before he even knew it.
Haven and Imbelli, a star of The Real L Word, married in a private ceremony in Laguna Beach in August 2024, but the union lasted only about two weeks before the pair separated. They have remained close since then and are reportedly collaborating on a TV adaptation of one of Imbelli’s books, which Haven plans to direct.
Imbelli addressed the announcement in an Instagram post alongside a compilation video of the two of them. She wrote that she was not there to out someone she loves, but to help set someone free, calling that distinction important.
She added that Haven set her free in return, and that she will always love him as her family, her best friend, and one of the greatest loves of her life.
Haven is also gearing up for a new project: a weekly podcast titled Save Haven with James Haven, produced by Wonder Peak Media, in which he’ll interview guests about the moments and turning points that shaped their lives.
Haven is the son of actor Jon Voight, 87, and the late Marcheline Bertrand, and is two years older than his famous sister, Jolie. He famously kissed Jolie on the lips as she accepted her Oscar in 2000, a moment that has followed the pair for decades. Jolie did not attend Haven’s 2024 wedding, though their father was reportedly in attendance.
