How Jon Voight reacted to son James Haven coming out as gay

James Haven revealed he got a supportive phone call from his father, Jon Voight, after coming out as gay.

Haven, 53, explained on Wednesday’s episode of the “All Out with Jon Dean” podcast that the pair had a “mind-blowing” and “surreal” conversation.

“I finally pick up the phone after 15 minutes of him trying to call me, and I’m just like, ‘Hey,’” Haven recalled. “And he’s like, ‘So…’ I’m like, ‘Ah, here we go.”

James Haven (seen here with ex-wife Romi Imbelli) revealed dad Jon Voight’s reaction to him coming out as gay. All Out with Jon Dean
Haven (pictured above with Voight in 2017) said he got a supportive phone call from his father. Frederick M. Brown

“He goes, ‘I finally know who you are’ … and all of a sudden we had this really nice chat and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’”

Haven said he “immediately” called his ex-wife, Romi Imbelli, who also appeared on the podcast, and told her he “did not expect that phone call” with Voight, 87.

Imbelli, 44, chimed in that the exes — who annulled their marriage seven months after their Aug. 2024 wedding  — were “waiting for [Voight’s] response” to Haven coming out.

“This has been decades. It’s caused a lot of pain to both of us,” the “Real L Word” star said. “So I’m like, ‘What is dad going to say?’ And then when he does that.”

Voight told Haven (both seen above at a 2014 Golden Globes afterparty) on the call: “I finally know who you are.” Getty Images
Haven (pictured here with Voight in 2001) added that the duo had a “really nice chat” on the call. Getty Images

Haven, whose sister is Angelina Jolie, explained that was most “powerful” part of Voight’s response was how “affirming” he sounded on the phone call about his son’s sexuality.

“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing,” the “Gia” star said. “He kept talking about it, like, ‘Now I understand why you’ve been so private.’”

Haven also said Voight told him that he could finally “understand” Haven’s “entire behavior.”

Haven (seen here with sister Angelina Jolie in 1994) confirmed Voight sounded “affirming” on their phone call. Getty Images
Voight (seen above with Jolie and Haven) also told Haven he understood why his son has “been so private.” WireImage

Later in the podcast, Haven opened up about the dark days of the father-son duo’s relationship, confirming they “didn’t talk for six years” because he felt “a lack of value” from the Oscar winner.

“My upbringing was very difficult, and we’ve come a long way,” Haven shared. “The biggest issue I dealt with in my relationship with him for the longest time was a value issue.”

However, Haven said they recently made up over an hour-long dinner where Voight owned his mistakes.

Page Six has reached out to Voight’s rep for comment.

Haven (seen here with Voight in 2010) also opened up about how the pair didn’t speak for six years. Getty Images
Haven (pictured above with Voight and Jolie) said the father-son duo recently made up over an hour-long dinner. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

Haven came out as gay during a live video stream last Thursday.

The “Original Sin” actor told fans that coming out of the closet “isn’t about becoming someone new,” but rather “allowing everyone else to meet the person who has been here all along.”

He also expressed hope that his “family and others can choose love over fear, understanding over judgment, and connection over the beliefs that may have kept us apart.”

“My upbringing was very difficult, and we’ve come a long way,” Haven (seen above in 2017) said on the podcast. Vivien Killilea
Haven came out as gay on a video live stream with Imbelli (both pictured above) by his side. Instagram/@romi_hairandbeauty

“I hope they can look beyond the labels and simply see me with the same heart, the same laugh, the same soul they’ve always known,” Haven added.

Imbelli said on the live stream Haven will always be “her life partner” despite him coming out.

Page Six also broke the news that Haven is launching a weekly podcast, titled “Safe Haven with James Haven,” where he will “guide guests through the moments, choices, and turning points that shaped who they became.”

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