James Haven is sharing his truth.
The actor, filmmaker and older brother of Angelina Jolie has publicly come out as gay, opening up about his identity through a heartfelt essay and an emotional livestream conversation with his former wife, Romi Imbelli.
The announcement came Thursday during a 35-minute broadcast on Imbelli’s Breathe Mija Substack, where Haven reflected on his journey toward self-acceptance after years of feeling like he had to hide parts of himself.
“I’m gay,” Haven said during the livestream. “I’m a lot of things.”
Imbelli responded with a laugh, calling him “as gay as gay can be,” before Haven jokingly replied, “I’m trying to keep my humility right now.”
Alongside the conversation, Haven published a deeply personal essay recounting memories from his childhood and the long road that led him to this moment.
“When I was a little boy, I was absolutely obsessed with the Disney princesses,” he wrote. “I would sneak glitter onto my cheeks, swipe mascara onto my lashes, and for those moments, I felt like magic. I didn’t have the language back then to explain why. I just knew it made me feel more like me.”
As he grew older, however, Haven said he learned to hide those parts of himself in an effort to fit in.
“Like so many gay kids, I learned to question parts of myself long before I learned to celebrate them,” he wrote. “I spent years dimming my light because I thought that was the price of belonging.”
Now, he says, he’s done hiding.
“Coming out isn’t about becoming someone new,” Haven wrote. “It’s about allowing everyone else to meet the person who has been here all along.”
The essay also included a message directed toward his family, asking for compassion and understanding.
“I hope my family and others can choose love over fear, understanding over judgment, and connection over the beliefs that may have kept us apart,” he wrote. “The only difference is that I’m no longer hiding. Today, I am genuinely happy.”
Romi Imbelli Opens Up About Their Relationship
The livestream also shed light on Haven’s unique relationship with Imbelli.
The pair first met more than two decades ago and remained close friends before marrying in August 2024. Just over two weeks after the wedding, Imbelli filed to have the marriage annulled. Despite the end of their marriage, the two have remained an important part of each other’s lives.
During the livestream, Imbelli admitted she struggled with accepting that Haven was gay because it meant letting go of the future she had imagined for them.
“I knew it, and I wanted to support you and love you,” she said. “There was a battle between how do you love and support somebody knowing their truth, but also how do you break the lie that you want to believe so badly is yours?”
She explained that, over time, their relationship evolved into something different but equally meaningful.
“You are my life partner. We will do life together,” she told Haven. “You are my love. And you happen to be gay.”
Imbelli echoed those sentiments in a social media post announcing what she called the final chapter of Breathe Mija.
“I wasn’t here to out someone I love. I was here to help set someone free,” she wrote. “There is a difference. In return, he set me free.”
A New Chapter
Although Haven has largely stayed out of the public eye in recent years, he’s no stranger to Hollywood.
The son of Jon Voight and the late Marcheline Bertrand, Haven has appeared alongside Angelina Jolie in Gia and Original Sin and also had roles in Monster’s Ball, Hell’s Kitchen and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
He’s also preparing to launch Safe Haven, a new podcast that will feature conversations about healing, resilience and personal transformation.