Whatever Happened to Barbra Streisand’s Only Son? The Quiet, Artistic Life of Jason Gould
For decades, Barbra Streisand has lived under the blinding glare of the global spotlight—a singular talent in music, film, and theater. Her personal life, including her marriage to actor Elliott Gould and the birth of their son, Jason Gould, in 1966, was chronicled with intense public interest. But as the years passed, a question began to form in the minds of fans and pop culture observers: Whatever happened to their only son, Jason?
The answer is a story not of scandal or disappearance, but of a deliberate and thoughtful retreat from the neon-lit world of his legendary mother. Jason Gould has carved out a life defined not by the fame he inherited, but by a quiet pursuit of his own artistic passions, personal well-being, and a hard-won sense of self.
A Childhood in the Shadow of a Supernova
To understand Jason’s path, one must first appreciate the environment of his upbringing. His parents’ divorce when he was three meant he split his time between two worlds. With his father, Elliott Gould, then a major movie star, he experienced a more relaxed, bohemian lifestyle. With his mother, he was exposed to the relentless discipline and perfectionism of a creative titan.
In rare interviews, Jason has spoken candidly about the challenges of such a childhood. The pressure of having a mother who was, quite literally, Barbra Streisand, was immense. He once described a childhood moment of realization, telling The Jewish Journal, “I remember being in the car with her, and people were surrounding the car, and I was like, ‘Whoa, my mom is really famous.’ It was scary.” This early understanding of his mother’s otherworldly status created a natural inclination to seek privacy and normalcy.
A Foray into Acting and a Swift Retreat
Following a familiar path, Jason dipped his toes into the family business. He appeared as a young boy in Streisand’s 1983 passion project, Yentl, and later took on a more significant role alongside his mother in the 1991 film The Prince of Tides, playing the son of Streisand’s character.
While the performance was competent, the experience seemed to solidify his ambivalence toward acting. The glare of the premiere lights and the inevitable comparisons were likely overwhelming. Instead of pursuing a full-time acting career, he stepped away, a decision that demonstrated remarkable self-awareness. He chose peace over potential fame, a trade-off few in Hollywood are willing to make.
Finding His Voice: The Journey to Music and Art
For years, Jason Gould was, in the public eye, a footnote—the quiet son of a superstar. That perception began to shift in 2012 when he quietly released a music video for a song titled “How Deep Is the Ocean.” The video, a simple and elegant black-and-white production, featured him singing the Irving Berlin classic. The revelation was not just his smooth, gentle baritone voice, but the person singing it: a calm, centered, and openly gay man, fully comfortable in his own skin.
This musical emergence was no hobby. It was the culmination of years of private study and therapy. He has spoken about how voice lessons became a form of emotional and physical therapy, helping him overcome a lifelong struggle with a weak physical constitution and anxiety. Singing became his vessel for self-expression and healing.
His mother, ever his supporter, was effusive in her praise. She told The New York Times, “I always knew he had a good voice… But I didn’t know he could sing like that. It’s a beautiful, beautiful voice, and it’s his own.” This encouragement led to a profound professional and personal milestone: a duet with his mother on the song “How Deep Is the Ocean” for her 2014 album Partners. The performance is tender and heartfelt, less a showbiz event and more a public conversation between a mother and her son, finally connecting through their shared language of music.
Since then, Jason has released an EP, Jason Gould, and several singles, exploring a genre of gentle, jazz-inflected adult contemporary music. His artistic expression extends beyond music; he is also an accomplished photographer and painter, further showcasing a multifaceted creative spirit that thrives away from the red carpet.
A Life Defined by Privacy and Purpose
So, where is Jason Gould today? He resides in California, maintaining a life of purposeful privacy. He is not a recluse but is highly selective about his public appearances, often seen supporting his mother at major events like the Grammy Awards but otherwise staying out of the tabloids.
His relationship with his family is close. He has spoken lovingly of both his parents and his half-brother, Sam, from his father’s second marriage. His coming out as gay in his forties was a significant step in his personal journey, one that he says brought him closer to his mother, a long-time ally of the LGBTQ+ community.
The story of Jason Gould is not one of a lost son or a squandered inheritance. It is a modern parable about defining success on one’s own terms. In a culture obsessed with celebrity offspring who often spiral under the pressure, Jason’s path is a testament to quiet strength.
He could have leveraged his name for a career in front of the camera. Instead, he chose a life behind the microphone, behind the canvas, and out of the spotlight. He traded the pressure of being “Barbra Streisand’s son” for the peace of simply being Jason Gould—an artist, a son, and a man who found his voice not in shouting to be heard, but in singing his own quiet song.
