Roseanne Barr didn’t just play a mom on TV, the actress has expanded her own family off screen over the years.
Barr started off doing stand-up comedy before becoming a household name for her lead role on Roseanne, which ran from 1988 to 1997. The series was briefly revived in 2018 but came to an end after Barr’s exit from the series amid controversial social media posts. The story transformed into The Conners, which was created without Barr’s involvement and ran from 2018 to 2025. (She never made an appearance on the series.)
“I just can’t bear it, so I don’t [watch],” Barr told The Los Angeles Times in February 2023. “When they killed my character off, that was a message to me, knowing that I’m mentally ill or have mental health issues, that they did want me to commit suicide.”
She continued: “They killed my character … And all of that was to say thank you for bringing 28 million viewers, which they never had before and will never see again. Because they can kiss my ass.”
Related: ‘Roseanne’ Cast: Then and Now
Roseanne fans have been keeping up with the Conner family since the 1980s, from the original sitcom to its short-lived revival and hit spinoff, The Conners. The ABC series premiered in October 1988 and followed the lives of Roseanne (Roseanne Barr), Dan (John Goodman) and Roseanne’s sister, Jackie (Laurie Metcalf), as well as the couple’s […]
Off screen, Barr has continued to thrive in her personal life after making an initial move to Hawaii before settling down in Texas.
“We have 30 acres and live up in what they call ‘Hill Country,’” Barr’s son Jake Pentland exclusively shared with Us Weekly in April 2025. “Roseanne also drives the tractor often, which allows her to mow the lawn. She drives around. She occasionally runs into trees, but just keeps the yard up.”
In addition to “The Roseanne Barr” podcast, Barr filmed Kill Tony for Netflix and has been writing scripts. “You might just see her on TV again soon,” Pentland teased at the time. “You never know.”
Pentland also hinted that Barr might be relocating again to Florida, adding, “She has a lot of close friends who live in Palm Beach as well and they’re always hanging out, shopping and going to dinners. She is very low-key in Palm Beach and likes to be out on a boat with friends or at the beach.”
Keep scrolling for a guide to Barr’s family — including her kids and exes:
Brandi Brown
Barr became a mother when she gave birth to daughter Brandi in 1971, whom she gave up for adoption. The mother-daughter duo reconnected in 1988.
“I had left information allowing her to find me when she turned 21. I had even told my own kids about the adoption a year earlier because I knew she was 17 and might try to find me,” Roseanne told People. “I turned around and felt this powerful magnet. We looked at each other. Brandi jumped out of her seat. And we started running toward each other. We embraced and wouldn’t let go of each other, hugging and crying.”
She added: “We just held on to each other, looking into each other’s eyes and crying as I told Brandi how much I had missed her for so long. I’m so glad I found her. So glad she came home.”
Brown has followed in Barr’s acting footsteps with an acting credit on 3rd Rock From the Sun but has since transitioned to working behind the camera on The Dr. Oz Show, Katie, Roseanne, The Jackie Thomas Show and Dark Faith.
Bill Pentland
Barr met Bill after Brandi’s adoption and the couple tied the knot in 1974. After welcoming three kids together, Barr and Bill divorced after 16 years of marriage.
Tom Arnold
Four days after her divorce from Bill in 1990, Barr exchanged vows with fellow comedian Arnold. Barr and Arnold worked together on her Roseanne sitcom but off screen they called it quits in 1994.
Ben Thomas
Barr and her personal security guard Thomas got married in 1995 and they expanded their family with son Buck. They remained together until 2002.
Johnny Argent
After meeting Argent online in 2002, the pair stayed in touch and ultimately started dating. They are still together after initially relocating to Hawaii.
Jessica Pentland
Barr’s second child has been involved behind the scenes on shows such as Childhood Thoughts, Roseanne, Black Girls Heart Charlie and The Real Roseanne Show.
Jennifer Pentland
Similar to her older sister, Jennifer was a writer and producer on Childhood Thoughts and Roseanne. She was also a researcher on The Roseanne Show. Jennifer also released a book called This Will Be Funny Later: A Memoir.
Jake Pentland
Barr’s son has been a writer, producer and director on projects such as Rockin’ with Roseanne, Roseanne Barr: Blonde and Bitchin’, Roseanne’s Nuts and more.
Buck Thomas
Barr’s youngest son lives largely out of the spotlight but has appeared in posts on his mother’s social media over the years.
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