Josh Brolin Talks About the Challenges of Nepotism During The Goonies

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Josh Brolin has demonstrated his versatility as an actor over the years. He portrayed Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Dan White in Milk, and more recently, he was chosen to play a villain in Edgar Wright’s adaptation of The Running Man. However, it was his early role in The Goonies that initially brought him into the limelight.

Although Josh Brolin is widely recognized for his mature roles, it’s important to recall that he was once a teenage actor in The Goonies. In this movie, he played Sean Astin’s older brother, Brand, who assists in searching for treasure to save their house. On a recent episode of SiriusXM’s Literally! With Rob Lowe (as reported by THR), Brolin shared his experiences filming as the son of actor James Brolin.

Brolin stated, “I believe the film Goonies was more of a fluke.” He went on to explain, “When I auditioned, they apparently asked if I was James Brolin’s son and if I wanted to act. Instead of relying on nepotism, they challenged me with, ‘So you want to act? Prove it.’

He mentioned that he devoted approximately 90% of his time to learning theater techniques from Stanislavski, Grotowski, and Antonin Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty through reading. However, even with all this study, the actor from Dune attributes his casting by director Richard Donner and story creator Steven Spielberg to reasons he believes were ultimately responsible for their choice.

I seemed perfectly suited for the role. Given Sean Astin’s appearance and the type of film, I had a rugged yet athletic image, and was in good physical condition. They thought, ‘That’s our man.’ I returned for auditions six times to ensure they were certain, and then I landed the part.

How did Josh Brolin try to prove himself as an actor to Steven Spielberg?

Brolin made sure not to forget any of his research while working on The Goonies. He remembered discussing substantial concepts for a specific scene with Spielberg about innovative ideas he had.

At some point, I found myself talking to Steven inside one of the tunnels. I asked him, “Hey, Steven, can we have a quick chat?” I then suggested, “Don’t you think these tunnels symbolize my mother’s womb? What if, while filming me ascending this tunnel, it appears as though I’m trying to sever that emotional tie with my mother—the umbilical cord—and I might even shed tears?” This was his recollection.

Although Josh Brolin was eager to offer his profound thoughts about The Goonies, Spielberg offered a different perspective: “He simply told me, ‘Perhaps you should just act. Read the lines given, and you’ll be alright.’ Instead of reacting with surprise, I accepted it gracefully, understanding his advice.

Josh Brolin’s bid for creative control in The Goonies didn’t pan out, but his portrayal of Thanos in 2020 was praised by Indiewire as a triumph, where he drew inspiration from Marlon Brando’s enigmatic and unhinged character in Apocalypse Now. Brolin explained, “I brought up Brando in ‘Apocalypse Now,’ that man who is elusive and mad, yet his words make sense and are poetic. I found a similarity I appreciated for myself.

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2025-01-31 19:41