Josh Brolin

Like many actors, Josh Brolin began his career as a teenager in his high school's plays.

Josh Brolin is the son of actors James Brolin and Jane Cameron Agee. Brolin's parents divorced when he was 16. When Josh Brolin was young, he reportedly hated everything about Hollywood. The biggest problem the young Brolin had with the film industry was its unpredictability. Because of this fact, he never wanted to become an actor like his father, James Brolin -- that is, until high school when he starred in the student production of A Streetcar Named Desire. After that, Brolin decided to move out to Hollywood with his father and pursue an acting career.

Brolin made his feature film debut in Steven Speilberg's 1985 film The Goonies as Brand Walsh, older brother to Sean Astin's character Mikey Walsh. The film itself was successful, grossing over $60 million during its run. The success of the movie did not, however, translate into the beginning of a successful career for Josh Brolin.

After The Goonies, Brolin's career was peppered with low budget movies and failed television shows like Private Eye that was cancelled after one season and Winnetka Road, which met its demise after just six episodes. Brolin went on to take parts in less than memorable television shows and movies until 2007.

In 2007, Josh Brolin co-starred in American Gangster alongside two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington and Oscar winner Russell Crowe, and No Country for Old Men, written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. No Country for Old Men won four Oscars and received 83 other film industry awards. Brolin's role in this film garnered him industry recognition but it was a role that almost didn't happen for him.

The Coen brothers never considered Brolin for the role of Llewelyn Moss in this film. Even upon receiving a taped audition from Brolin that he put together with the help of directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez (he was working with them on Grindhouse and Planet Terror at the time), they passed on him for the role. Upon this refusal, Brolin's agent, Michael Cooper, rallied for his client, asking the Coens to at least meet Brolin. They agreed and Brolin read for them at the final casting call for the role of Llewelyn Moss. This time, the Cohen's loved him and he got the part.

No Country for Old Men and American Gangster would take Brolin's career from low budget "B" movies to working with critically acclaimed directors and award winning actors such as:

• In the Valley of Elah (2007) – In this film, Brolin worked with Oscar winning director Paul Haggis (Crash, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima), Charlize Theron (Oscar for Monster) and Tommy Lee Jones (Oscar for The Fugitive).
• Milk – Set for release sometime in 2008, Brolin worked with Gus Van Sant, a highly respected and award winning director.
• W. – This film about George W. Bush isn't slated for release until 2009 and is directed by Oliver Stone.

Aside from the drama on film, Josh Brolin has had his share of personal drama and tragedy in his life:

• Mom Jane Cameron Agee died in 1995 after reportedly driving her car into a tree.
• Brolin showed up on the set of No Country for Old Men with a broken collar bone due to a motorcycle accident.
• Police were called to the home he shares with wife Diane Lane on a domestic disturbance complaint. Apparently, Josh and his wife got into an argument and she called the police stating that Brolin had hit her. The police arrested Brolin and he was later released on $20,000 bail. Lane didn't press charges and both actors claim that they were "embarrassed" by the whole situation.

It seems though, that Brolin has settled comfortably into his new role as a bankable actor and his career continues to be on the upswing. If he keeps working with award winning directors and actors he has been working with recently, there is no doubt that Brolin's talents will continue to be recognized by the public and his peers..

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