Josh Brolin shared that he didn’t gain serious recognition as an actor until the release of “No Country for Old Men” in 2007. Before that pivotal moment, he had a brief stint as a full-time stock trader.
The 58-year-old, who is the son of actor James Brolin, discussed his career on Theo Von’s podcast, “This Past Weekend.” He reflected on how, despite the initial success with “The Goonies,” he struggled to find his footing in Hollywood.
Prior to his role as Brand in “The Goonies,” he mentioned going to around “350 auditions,” only to be told repeatedly, “It’s not for you.”
Stepping onto the set of the ’80s classic was his first experience in front of a camera, and he confessed that he “ruined the first day of shooting” because he couldn’t contain his laughter due to nerves.
After “The Goonies,” Brolin moved to New York to dive deeper into acting through theater. He emphasized that he “took it seriously” and spent 22 years cultivating his craft, stating that interest from others didn’t pick up until “No Country for Old Men,” which he felt was a game changer.
During the years leading up to his breakout role, he worked as a landscaper for a year and then transitioned to stock trading at the age of 30, a job he held for nearly five years.
Brolin admitted he was “really good at it,” explaining how he managed his work from home with three screens, each having four tabs open. He engaged in both swing trading and day trading.
“I made more money in those four years than I had made in 20 years of acting,” he recalled, adding that his acting career had not been very profitable.
He expressed a particular fondness for day trading, saying, “I loved, man.”
Even with his newfound acclaim in Hollywood, he found that the financial rewards weren’t overwhelming. For “No Country for Old Men,” he received a payment of $100,000, which translated to about $30,000 after expenses—a figure he didn’t consider exceptional.
However, things started to look up for his acting career soon after. While working on “No Country for Old Men,” Brolin sent in an audition tape for “American Gangster” with his 16-year-old son portraying Denzel Washington’s character.
“And that’s the last audition I ever did,” he remarked.
Brolin is currently starring in the thriller “Whalefall,” where he plays the estranged father of the main character, who gets swallowed by a whale.
