James Haven, the actor and filmmaker who is also the older brother of Angelina Jolie, recently spoke publicly about his sexuality for the first time. At 53, Haven said he is gay and explained that reaching this point came after many years of keeping an important part of himself private. His announcement was made during a livestream connected to his former wife Romi Imbelli’s Substack platform, where he read a personal statement about identity, childhood memories, relationships and self-acceptance.
Haven said he had reached a stage in life where he no longer wanted to feel as though he needed to apologize for parts of himself that had always been there. His message focused on honesty rather than reinvention. He explained that coming out did not mean becoming a different person, but instead meant allowing others to understand him more fully. That distinction became one of the central themes of his statement.
As he reflected on his childhood, Haven described memories that had stayed with him for decades. He spoke about being drawn to Disney princesses, using glitter and experimenting with mascara when he was young because those things made him feel happy and imaginative. At the time, those moments felt natural to him. As he grew older, however, he became increasingly aware of expectations about how he was supposed to behave.
Haven said that, like many people who spend years questioning or concealing their sexuality, he gradually learned to suppress parts of himself. What had once felt joyful became something he became more cautious about expressing. Looking back now, he said those childhood memories no longer seemed confusing to him. Instead, they became reminders of how early he had understood something about himself, even if he did not yet have the words to describe it.
His statement also emphasized that coming out is not necessarily a single sudden realization. For Haven, it appeared to be the result of many years of reflection, personal growth and difficult conversations. He spoke about no longer wanting to live according to fear or expectations imposed by others. Rather than framing the announcement as an attempt to attract attention, he presented it as a personal step toward living more openly.
His Relationship With Romi Imbelli
Haven’s public statement also brought renewed attention to his relationship with Romi Imbelli. The two had known each other for many years before marrying in 2024. Their wedding took place in Laguna Beach, California, after a friendship that reportedly stretched back more than two decades.
The marriage, however, was brief. Imbelli later filed for an annulment, and reports surrounding the filing noted that “fraud” was cited in the legal paperwork. At the time, the full emotional background of the relationship was not publicly explained. Their recent discussion together provided more personal context about what both of them had been going through.
Imbelli spoke openly about the emotional conflict she experienced while they were together. She said that part of her believed Haven might be gay, but accepting that possibility also meant facing the potential end of the romantic relationship she had hoped they could have. She described wanting to support him while simultaneously dealing with her own sadness.
That combination of feelings made the situation difficult for both of them. Imbelli made clear that supporting Haven did not mean that she had not experienced pain. At the same time, she did not portray him as someone she wanted to remove from her life completely. Instead, she described him as a person who remained deeply important to her even after the marriage ended.
Their conversation showed how complicated relationships can become when two people care deeply about each other but eventually realize that the relationship cannot continue in the way they originally expected. It also highlighted the difference between supporting someone’s identity and ignoring the emotional consequences that a romantic relationship may have had for both people involved.
Coming Out on His Own Terms
One of the most important parts of Haven’s announcement was that the decision came from him. He chose the timing, the setting and the words he wanted to use. That matters because sexual orientation is personal, and people should be able to decide for themselves when or whether they want to discuss it publicly.
Haven said he wanted to move forward without feeling as though he had to hide. He expressed hope that the people around him would respond with love, understanding and compassion. His statement did not ask others to agree with every aspect of his life. Instead, it focused on the simple desire to be accepted honestly as the person he says he has always been.
He also spoke directly about the younger version of himself. Rather than criticizing the child who liked glitter, mascara and princesses, Haven described that child with affection. He said those memories represented joy rather than shame. His reflections suggested that much of the struggle came later, when he began measuring himself against social expectations.
That perspective made the announcement less about labels and more about removing years of pressure. Haven said he no longer wanted to treat parts of his personality or identity as something that needed to be corrected. The message was personal and reflective rather than political.
A Famous Family With a Complicated History
James Haven comes from a family that has spent decades in the public eye. His father is actor Jon Voight, while his sister Angelina Jolie became one of Hollywood’s most internationally recognized stars. Their mother, Marcheline Bertrand, also worked in entertainment and later became closely associated with charitable causes before her death in 2007.
Haven and Jolie have often been described as close, especially during the earlier years of their careers. Their relationship received significant public attention around the 2000 Academy Awards, when their affectionate behavior toward each other was widely discussed in the media. Over the years, both siblings have also spoken about the importance of their mother in their lives.
Their relationship with their father has been more complicated. Public reports over the years have documented periods of estrangement, disagreement and attempted reconciliation within the family. Those family dynamics existed long before Haven’s recent announcement and should not automatically be connected to his sexuality.
It is also important not to assume how any individual family member feels about Haven’s announcement unless that person has spoken publicly. Haven himself expressed hope for understanding and love, but that is different from assigning reactions to relatives who have not made public statements.
A More Private Public Life
Compared with his sister, Haven has generally maintained a lower public profile. He has worked in acting and filmmaking, but he has not pursued the same level of celebrity visibility associated with Jolie or Voight. That relative privacy makes his recent statement especially notable because he chose to discuss something extremely personal in his own words.
His announcement may also help explain why parts of his life appeared complicated from the outside. Public records could show a brief marriage, an annulment and longstanding family relationships, but they could not fully explain the internal experiences behind those events. By speaking now, Haven has provided some personal context without claiming that every detail of his private life needs to become public.
The same applies to his former marriage. Imbelli has spoken about heartbreak, confusion and eventual understanding, while Haven has spoken about self-acceptance. Both perspectives can exist at the same time. One person’s journey toward honesty can still affect another person emotionally.
Looking Toward New Projects
Haven is also preparing for a new professional chapter. He has been connected with a planned podcast titled Safe Haven with James Haven, where he is expected to discuss personal journeys, major life decisions and turning points with guests.
The concept fits closely with the themes he has recently been discussing himself. His public statement touched on identity, childhood, relationships, difficult choices and the process of reaching greater peace with oneself. Those same subjects could naturally become part of longer conversations with other people who have experienced major transitions in their own lives.
For Haven, this appears to be a period of both personal and professional change. Rather than remaining silent about parts of his life, he is beginning to speak more openly while also developing new creative work.
A Story About Honesty Rather Than Reinvention
One of the clearest ideas in Haven’s statement was that he does not see himself as becoming someone new. He described the process as allowing people to see the person who had always existed behind years of uncertainty and concealment.
That distinction matters because coming out later in life is sometimes misunderstood as a sudden change. In reality, people can spend years understanding, questioning or privately accepting their identity before they feel ready to discuss it publicly.
Haven’s experience is his own and should not be treated as a universal model. Some people come out when they are young, while others wait decades. Some people receive immediate support, while others experience more complicated reactions. His announcement simply reflects the point at which he felt prepared to speak for himself.
Imbelli’s participation also gave the moment a more complex emotional dimension. Their conversation acknowledged that honesty can sometimes arrive after relationships have already been hurt. It did not erase that pain, but it allowed both of them to discuss it more openly.
Moving Forward
At 53, James Haven appears to be entering a new phase of his life with a greater emphasis on openness and self-acceptance. His announcement was not presented as an attack on his family, his former wife or his past. Instead, it centered on his decision to stop hiding an important part of himself.
The response to such personal news can easily become dominated by speculation, especially when the person belongs to a famous family. But the most reliable way to understand the story is to focus on what Haven himself has said.
He publicly identified as gay.
He reflected on childhood memories that now have greater meaning to him.
He spoke about years of hiding parts of himself.
He expressed hope for compassion rather than judgment.
And he described the moment not as the beginning of a new identity, but as the point when he finally felt ready to live more openly.
His former wife, meanwhile, has spoken honestly about both the pain she experienced and the affection she still feels for him. Their shared discussion suggests that relationships can change form without necessarily losing all of their emotional significance.
Ultimately, James Haven’s announcement is less about celebrity and more about a personal decision made later in life. It is a story about identity, honesty, complicated relationships and the possibility of reaching a place where a person feels more comfortable being seen as they truly are.
