Josh Brolin biography

He appeared with Mira Sorvino in Guillermo del Toro's sci-fi horror film Mimic (1997) and with Ewan McGregor in the creepy morgue thriller Nightwatch (1998). Despite working steadily for years, box office success continued to elude the handsome actor.

Personal Life

Around this time, Brolin experienced some changes in his family. First, his mother died in a car accident in 1995. Three years later, his father married again, this time to the famed singer and actress Barbra Streisand. After dating for several years, Josh proposed to actress Minnie Driver in April 2001. They broke up a few months later.

In 2003, Brolin starred his own television series, the political drama Mister Sterling. He played the son of a former California governor who is selected to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. Unfortunately for Brolin, the series was canceled after two months on the air. He went on to land a small role in Woody Allen's Melinda and Melinda (2004) as well as more substantial television parts, such as a leading role in 2005's Murder Book.

Around this time, Brolin decided to give marriage a second try. He wed actress Diane Lane in August of 2004. A few months later, the couple made headlines after Brolin was arrested for spousal battery. A spokesperson released a statement after the incident, saying that "There was a misunderstanding at their home" and the couple was "embarrassed the matter went this far." Lane declined to press charges, and the allegations were eventually dropped.

Star Turns

Brolin's profile started to rise in 2007. Working with director Roberto Rodriguez, he had a small role in the "Planet Terror" segment of the horror film, Grindhouse (2007). Brolin also appeared in the Iraq war drama In the Valley of Elah (2007), which starred Tommy Lee Jones as a father investigating the death of his soldier son. His role as a corrupt detective in American Gangster (2007) became another important part for Brolin.

Moving from supporting player to lead actor, Brolin co-starred with Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men (2007). He was thrilled for the opportunity to work with directors Ethan and Joel Coen. Describing the experience of landing his part to Interview magazine, Brolin said "it was basically as if your favorite musician were to call you up and say, 'Hey, man. I'd love to do a tour with you.' The Coens have been favorite filmmakers of mine since they started."

The dream role almost didn't come true. Riding his motorcycle to a wardrobe fitting, Brolin was involved in an accident, which left him with a broken collarbone. He was able to continue with the project despite his injury, and gave one of the strongest performances in his career. He earned wide praise for his portrayal of Llewelyn Moss, a cowboy who goes on the run after stumbling across the victims of a drug deal gone bad.

The following year, Brolin continued tackle challenging roles on the big screen. He starred in Oliver Stone's W., a biographical film about President George W. Bush.