Barbra Streisand and James Brolin’s First Met in 1996

The Gist:

• Barbra Streisand and James Brolin met on a blind date at a dinner party.
• Both were previously married and in their 50s.
• They wed in 1998 after dating for two years.
• James and Barbra have supported each other emotionally and publicly for decades.

Barbra Streisand is the titular funny girl in the Broadway musical Funny Girl, and it’s in this production she sings a hauntingly beautiful song about love. “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world,” she says while describing how we are but halves searching for our whole selves.

For Barbra and her husband actor James Brolin, that search ended when they were both in their 50s. They each brought decades of experience to a marriage that undoubtedly worked in their favor. How did these two wacky kids meet and fall in love? Let’s take a look at their relationship timeline.

According to PEOPLE, Barbra and James met on a blind date at a dinner party by way of her ex-boyfriend’s ex-wife. He drove her home afterward and continued their conversation in the singer’s foyer until 3 a.m. Both were too shy to make a move. Three months later, James flew to Ireland to direct a movie but they kept things going via numerous international calls. “I remember falling asleep on the bathroom floor with the phone pressed against my ear,” said Barbra.

While chatting with the Los Angeles Times in November 1996 about her film The Mirror Has Two Faces, Barbra described it as an “uplifting, life-affirming, hopeful picture about love,” then said her relationship with James was similar to the movie. She said part of the reason why she and James made sense was because she was open and ready to receive love at that time in her life.

Two years later in July 1998, Barbra and James wed in a star-studded event that could rival any Oscars red carpet. The guest list included Donna Karan — who designed Barbra’s dress — John Travolta, Kelly Preston, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Quincy Jones, and Sydney Pollack. “We wanted to be surrounded by people we’ve loved for a long time,” Barbra told PEOPLE.