Newly discovered photographs show Barbra Streisand’s troubled stepson Jess Brolin was in serious trouble at least a decade ago, as he was seen rummaging through dumpsters while living in his broken-down van.
Things haven’t improved much for the Hollywood heir, who is now staying in a run-down motel on the outskirts of the chic, artsy town of Ojai, California, as DailyMail.com revealed on Wednesday.
Streisand, who is married to Jess’s actor father James, has not responded to multiple requests for comment or provided details of how her famous family has tried to help.
But his lavish life in a $20 million Malibu mansion stands in stark contrast to Jess, who has bounced between temporary housing and life on the streets for more than a decade.
Jess is currently staying at the three-star Topa Vista Hotel, located on a busy highway opposite a coffee shop and hair salon.
Photographs of Barbara Streisand’s stepson Jess Brolin have emerged, showing him rummaging through rubbish bins in a wealthy California town more than a decade ago. The images show him dressed entirely in blue and even more corpulent than he is now, grabbing food from a rubbish bin.
Jess currently resides in a modest motel outside of Ojai, California.
The youngest Brolin, whose older brother is Josh, 56, star of Men in Black and The Avengers, has been staying at the property for “several months” and is expected to remain there for several more.
While Jess’s new home is modest, it is an improvement over the beat-up 1981 Toyota pickup truck she lived in after the trust fund she inherited from her mother ran out in 2011.
Jane Agee, the first of her father’s three wives, died tragically in a car accident in 1995, 10 years after her divorce from the veteran actor.
New pictures from DailyMail.com show Jess, 52, three years later in 2014, after her life had taken a turn for the worse and she ended up living on the streets.
The images show him dressed entirely in blue and even larger than he is now, grabbing food from a trash can.
At the time, a representative for stepmother Barbra said the family had attempted to help but their offers were rejected, adding in a statement: “We have offered help and support, and continue to do so.
“We love him very much and only want the best for him.”
Barbra Streisand, married to Jess’s father James, has remained silent despite her stepson’s struggles. Her lavish lifestyle stands in stark contrast to the difficulties her son faces.
Jess was with her father, stepmother and older brother Josh in 1998 when James Brolin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Despite offers of help, a decade later Jess is still in temporary housing and has never attempted to restart his showbiz career, which was limited to two films and a single stint of extended employment that came in 2001, when he worked as a producer on the television series Black Scorpion, a low-budget superhero series set in Los Angeles.
Jess’s modest motel accommodations are in stark contrast to the luxurious homes her famous family enjoys.
Their new temporary home, which boasts on its website that it has “eight air-conditioned bedrooms,” each with a flat-screen TV, is owned by Los Angeles nightclub boss Steve Edelson, 64.
A spokesperson for the City of Ojai told DailyMail.com that the property is located outside the city limits in an unincorporated community called Meiners Oaks and could not confirm whether it is being used for housing for homeless people.
Photos of the property show modest-looking but comfortable rooms, all decorated with wood paneling and plush leather armchairs.
Ten years ago, Jess, then 42, weighed even more than she does now.
He is regularly seen in Ojai, where he has lived for more than a decade.
While Jess lives in a small room at the Topa Vista Inn, her father and stepmother call a $20 million, 19-bedroom mansion on a cliff in Malibu home.
In addition to Topa Vista, Edelson also owns the elegant Hummingbird and Capri hotels, as well as the legendary Ojai restaurant The Ranch House, where the seasonal menu currently includes delights such as herb-roasted porchetta, scallop risotto and a signature cognac-laced pâté.
Currently, calls to Topa Vista go directly to voicemail, where a message appears saying, “If you are calling Topa Vista, our space is full at this time.”
A source told DailyMail.com that current guests, including Jess, “have been there for a few months and will be there for a few more months.”
In contrast, father James and stepmother Barbra have a palatial estate in Malibu, while brother Josh currently lives in a $7.1 million, six-bedroom farmhouse in Montecito, famous for also being the home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as Oprah and Katy Perry.
In addition to the Montecito home, which also has its own equestrian track, Josh also owns a five-bedroom home valued at $3.2 million in Atlanta, Georgia, which he currently rents for $35,000 a month.
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