‘They Want To Know How To Be Famous.’ Josh Brolin Gets Real About What’s Changed In Hollywood And Why He Wants Actors Who ‘Get In The Soup’

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Throughout his 40-year acting career, Josh Brolin has amassed an exceptional portfolio. He’s garnered Screen Actors Guild Awards and Oscar nominations, graced both big-budget blockbusters and intimate character dramas. Yet, his renown is noteworthy, but the actor laments that there are many who seek fame without putting in the necessary effort.

In a recent appearance on In Depth with Graham Bensinger, Brolin lamented what he sees as a fundamental shift in the way people approach the acting profession today. He feels that when he was young in the industry, people were focused on the craft of acting, whereas people trying to break into acting are only looking for fame. He said…

Nowadays, when someone aspires to become an actor, more often than not, their primary goal is to achieve fame. Contrastingly, in earlier times, the focus was on honing one’s craft and performing quality work, rather than seeking celebrity status.

In contrast to some actors throughout history who pursued fame primarily, Brolin believes the situation has significantly worsened lately. He holds a conventional perspective on acting as an art form and laments that in earlier times, there were more individuals dedicated to refining this art instead of chasing financial gains.

Josh Brolin believes that although striving for financial success isn’t inherently bad, he feels that an excessive focus on it can negatively impact the movie industry. It seems that the pursuit of fame has led people to lose interest in the cooperative aspect of filmmaking. Brolin went on to say…

Less and less do you find actors that just want to get in the soup, get in the cauldron together.

It’s plausible that part of his perspective can be attributed to Josh Brolin being 40 years older and perhaps harboring less favorable opinions towards a younger generation. However, it’s challenging to dispute that he has consistently held these views, as evidenced in the past.

Brolin opened up about the belief that he sought fame merely because of his father’s status as an actor, James Brolin. He admitted to dedicating extensive time to studying acting techniques while filming The Goonies, though Steven Spielberg expressed some concern that he might be overdoing it.

Regarding the acting greats that Brolin admires, it’s evident that he doesn’t focus on celebrities with the highest profiles, but instead values those performers who have delivered exceptional performances. Particularly, he points out the remarkable acts of Denzel Washington, such as…

Reflecting on Denzel’s body of work leaves me utterly amazed. The way he brings tears to his eyes in films like Glory and Cry Freedom is truly remarkable. With so many fantastic movies under his belt, I find myself constantly left in admiration when I watch him act. I can hardly believe it – he’s simply incredible! How does he manage to deliver such powerful performances?

Although the pool of dedicated actors may have shrunk somewhat, they’re still very much around and active in their craft. When Timothee Chalamet, Jeff Bridges’ co-star in Dune, won the Oscar, he didn’t express a desire to be the most renowned actor, but rather aspired to become one of the greats within the acting profession. Perhaps he will serve as an inspiration for a new wave of actors.

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2025-04-24 01:07