Roseanne Barr Recalls Emotional Reunion with Daughter Who Once Thought Goldie Hawn Was Her Mom
Comedian and actress Roseanne Barr recently opened up about a deeply personal chapter of her life — giving up her daughter for adoption as a teenager — and the surprising, humorous twist that followed decades later.
In a candid conversation on the latest episode of Bunnie XO’s Dumb Blonde podcast, Barr shared the heartwarming and bittersweet story of reconnecting with her first-born daughter, Brandi, who she gave up for adoption at the age of 17.
“I was on TV, and that’s how [she] found me. All she knew was that her mother was famous in Hollywood, and Jewish,” Barr recalled.
Because of those clues, Brandi grew up believing that her biological mother might be none other than Hollywood icon Goldie Hawn.
“She Thought Goldie Hawn Was Her Mom”
Barr explained that she kept Brandi for about a week after giving birth before making the painful decision to place her in the care of Jewish Family and Children’s Services in Denver. Still, she always believed they’d find each other again.
“I told her at the time, ‘I’ll see you when you’re 18,'” Barr said. “And sure enough, when she was 17 and a half, she found me.”
Thanks to Barr’s fame from her TV career, Brandi managed to track her down. But before confirming who her real mother was, Brandi was first approached by the National Enquirer — allegedly tipped off by Barr’s then-boyfriend, actor Tom Arnold.
“The Enquirer called her, and she answered the phone. They asked, ‘Would you like to know who your mother is?’ She got all excited, thinking it was going to be Goldie Hawn,” Barr said with a laugh.
“Then they told her, ‘It’s Roseanne Barr.’ And her response was hilarious — she goes, ‘Christ, I didn’t even know she was a Jew!’”
Barr added that when Brandi eventually saw a photo of her, the resemblance was undeniable.
“She said, ‘Oh my God, I do look just like her.’ She held the photo up to a mirror and kept saying, ‘I look exactly like her.’”
A Joyful Reunion and a Lasting Bond
Shortly after the revelation, Barr, Brandi, and Brandi’s adoptive mother met up in person for the first time.
“It was wonderful,” Barr said emotionally. “We’ve been back together since then. She’s now 53, has a son, a lovely husband, and she’s a wonderful woman.”
Barr’s Family Life Over the Years
Roseanne Barr has led a complex personal life alongside her decades in the spotlight. She’s been married three times and is the mother of five children:
- First marriage: To motel clerk Bill Pentland from 1974 to 1990, with whom she had three children — Jessica, Jennifer, and Jake.
- Second marriage: To actor Tom Arnold from 1990 to 1994. Their tumultuous relationship made headlines throughout the early ’90s.
- Third marriage: To her former security guard Ben Thomas in 1995, with whom she had a son named Buck. They divorced in 2002.
Since 2003, Barr has been in a long-term relationship with Johnny Argent, whom she met online.
