Long before he became a household name as Thanos or a gritty presence in modern cinema, Josh Brolin spent years fighting for relevance in an industry that seemed indifferent to his talents. During a recent appearance on Theo Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, the 58-year-old actor reflected on a grueling two decade stretch where he felt largely ignored by Hollywood casting directors. Despite an early role in the eighties classic The Goonies, which followed hundreds of failed auditions, Brolin describes his early trajectory as essentially going nowhere.
To survive during these lean years, Brolin turned to unconventional means of income, including a stint as a landscaper and eventually a deep dive into the financial markets. At age 30, he transitioned into full time stock trading, spending nearly five years mastering the art of day and swing trading from home. Equipped with multiple screens and various open tabs, Brolin discovered he had a natural aptitude for the market, noting that he actually earned more money during those few years of trading than he had managed to make in twenty years of pursuing acting.
Despite his financial success in stocks, the passion for performance remained. However, true recognition only arrived with his pivotal role in the 2007 masterpiece No Country for Old Men. Even then, fame didn’t immediately translate to wealth; Brolin recalled clearing only about thirty thousand dollars after taxes for the Oscar winning film. It was this specific project that served as the catalyst for everything else, effectively ending his days of scraping by and sending him on a path toward A list stardom.
The shift happened so rapidly that shortly after filming No Country for Old Men, Brolin submitted an audition tape for American Gangster featuring his teenage son mimicking Denzel Washington. He landed the part and claims it was the final audition he ever had to perform. Now established as one of the most respected actors of his generation, Brolin continues to expand his portfolio with projects like Whalefall, though he remains candid about the humble and hectic road it took to get there.