Roseanne Barr: Daughter Thought She Was Another A-List Star

Roseanne Barr revealed that the daughter she placed for adoption, when she was 18, spent almost her entire childhood believing that her biological mom was Goldie Hawn.

While appearing on Tuesday’s episode of the Dumb Blonde podcast, the comedian, 72, revealed her child, Brandi Brown, now 53, assumed she was related to Hawn, 79, due to their striking resemblance and limited information from the adoption agency.

‘All she knew was that her mother was famous in Hollywood, and Jewish,’ Barr said. ‘And so she thought it was Goldie Hawn, was her mom, because she looked just like Goldie Hawn.’ 

Barr explained that she found out her ‘boyfriend at the time [Tom Arnold]’ allegedly ‘went to the Enquirer and told them that’ that she ‘had a baby that’ she ‘gave up’ as a teenager. 

The actress, who won an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award for her work on the sitcom Roseanne, recalled how the tabloid contacted her to say they were running the story ‘whether you want us to or not.’

She said the publication was also looking to photograph her and Brown meeting for the first time, but she declined the offer. 

Roseanne Barr revealed that the daughter she placed for adoption, when she was 18, spent nearly her entire childhood believing that her biological mom was Goldie Hawn; seen in 2018

Barr, then, claimed the Enquirer called Brown, who was 17, at the time, to ask: ‘Would you like to know who your mother is?’ 

‘And she’s all excited thinking it’s going to be Goldie Hawn,’ Barr quipped. ‘And they go, ‘It’s Roseanne Barr.’ And her words — so hilarious — she goes, “Christ, I didn’t even know she was a Jew,” which is so hilarious.’ 

Barr continued: ‘And she was mad too, ‘cause I was fat and everything.’

After looking at a photo of Barr, the star said Brown saw their similarities. 

‘She goes, “Oh my god, I do look just like her.” And she took the picture to the mirror,’ Barr told listeners. ‘And she just kept looking and going, “I do, I look exactly like her.”‘ 

The next day, the actress said she ended up meeting her daughter and said ‘it was wonderful.’ 

‘So we’ve been back together since then, and she is now 53. And she is awesome,’ Barr gushed. ‘She has a son, and a lovely husband. She’s a wonderful woman.’

Back in 1971, at just 18 years old, Barr was sent to the Salvation Army Home for Unwed Mothers in Denver, where she gave birth to her first child, Brandi.

While appearing on the Dumb Blonde podcast, the comedian revealed her child, Brandi, now 53, assumed she was related to Hawn, 79, (seen in 2024) due to their striking resemblance

Before signing the adoption papers, Barr says she made a heartfelt promise to her newborn: ‘I’ll see you again when you’re 18, because I’m not going to change my name, I’m going to be famous. I’m going to have my own show named Roseanne.’ 

According to Barr, it was her rise to fame that prompted the National Enquirer to track down her daughter—using questionable means to obtain the information. 

‘It all came out because when I got famous, the National Enquirer found my daughter by bribing someone in records in Colorado for my name, her name and her adoptive parents’ name,’ she says in the documentary.

Despite the questionable ethics behind the discovery, Barr holds no grudge: ‘Am I upset about it? No. I’m grateful.’

‘All she knew was that her mother was famous in Hollywood, and Jewish,’ Barr said. ‘And so she thought it was Goldie Hawn, was her mom, because she looked just like Goldie Hawn’

Back in 1971, at just 18 years old, Barr was sent to the Salvation Army Home for Unwed Mothers in Denver, where she gave birth to her first child, a baby girl named Brandi Brown; (Brandi and Roseanne pictured)

In 2024, Barr shared a rare photo with Brandi on Instagram, showing the pair in matching ‘Love’ shirts and knit beanies.

In the caption, she referred to her daughter as her ‘oldest bb’ and revealed that Brandi was 52 at the time.

She also noted they had reunited when Brandi was 17, adding, ‘[God] is good.’

In a 1989 People interview, Barr described the overwhelming connection she felt the moment they saw each other again: ‘We looked at each other, Brandi jumped out of her seat, and we started running toward each other,’ she said.

The original Roseanne show debuted on October 18, 1988

‘We embraced and wouldn’t let go of each other, hugging and crying.’

Brandi, who lives in Colorado, is now a leader in the 1 Billion Acts of Peace Campaign, which encourages people around the world to log actions that promote peace and compassion.

On Mother’s Day, she shared photos with both her adoptive mother, Gail Brown, and with Barr, writing about ‘the amazing women who helped shape me.’

Barr’s other children include Jessica, 50, Jennifer, 49, and Jake, 47—all from her marriage to Pentland—and Buck, 30, whom she shares with Tom Arnold.