James Haven, the brother of Angelina Jolie, has publicly come out as gay during a livestream with his ex-wife Romi Imbelli. The 53-year-old actor made the announcement on Imbelli’s Substack, where he read a personal letter detailing his journey toward self-acceptance.
“I’m gay,” Haven said on the livestream, which earned a supportive cheer from his ex-wife. Haven and Imbelli married in August 2024 but separated just 15 days later, with their marriage annulled in March 2025. Despite the split, the former couple have remained close friends and are now working together to adapt Imbelli’s book into a television series, which Haven plans to direct.
In his letter, Haven reflected on his childhood: “When I was a little boy, I was absolutely obsessed with the Disney princesses. I would sneak glitter onto my cheeks, swipe mascara onto my lashes, and for those moments, I felt like magic”. He admitted he “didn’t have the language back then to explain why I just knew it made me feel more like me”. As he grew older, he questioned whether he needed to hide that “sparkle” to be accepted by “normal” boys around him.
Haven emphasized that coming out isn’t about transformation but about authenticity: “Coming out isn’t about becoming someone new, it’s about allowing everyone else to meet the person who has been here all along”. He expressed hope that his family, including sister Angelina Jolie and father Jon Voight, would “choose love over fear, understanding over judgment”. Imbelli shared her support on Instagram, writing: “I wasn’t here to out someone I love. I was here to help set someone free”.
