The role Josh Brolin will always regret turning down: “I love that film”
I think this year is going to stand out in the history of Josh Brolin’s career, and that’s saying something, given his 1980s cult classic and genre-defining superhero credits. But Weapons was a cultural phenomenon that will remain a sharp memory, even if it was short-lived.
Brolin’s career has seen him woven into several iconic cultural moments – though he’s missed out on a few too. He first shot to fame as a young star in The Goonies, a box office smash that went on to become one of the defining adventure flicks of the ’80s. Fast forward past his child actor years, and Brolin landed a key role in No Country for Old Men, which went on to win ‘Best Picture’. It marked a huge moment for the western genre, with the Coens’ masterclass and There Will Be Blood going head-to-head during awards season as two towering neo-westerns of the era.
Even then, no one could have guessed what was coming in Brolin’s career. His tenure as Thanos in the MCU came to a head with the back-to-back instalments of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, the epic finale to the Infinity Saga that constituted a once-in-a-generation cinematic event.
And yet, even after his performance in the widely embraced Dune reboot, this year still feels different. It is an era of sinister and deeply complicated rules for Brolin, with Weapons being followed by his turns as a fear-mongering minister and a maniacal TV producer in Wake Up Dead Man and The Running Man, respectively.
So what trends or masterpieces was he not a part of? For one, Brolin turned down the role in ‘Best Picture’ winner Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) that would get Edward Norton a nod for ‘Best Supporting Actor’.
Not the most accessible film under the sun, Birdman follows a washed-up superhero actor, played by Michael Keaton, who attempts to relaunch his career by writing, directing, and starring in a stage play. Birdman was also Emma Stone’s first nomination for ‘Best Supporting Actress’, playing the protagonist’s troubled daughter, while Norton portrays a problematic member of the show’s cast.
In a recent episode of Happy Sad Confused, Josh Horowitz recalls a role that Brolin “regretted” not doing. “It was the Edward Norton role in Birdman, right? So, what’s your relationship to that film?” asks Horowitz. “This happens all the time,” says Brolin. “It’s part of the deal”.
Actors can largely make their peace with losing a great role, but still might wonder what could have been. “But when I saw Edward in that role,” continues Brolin, “He’s perfect. He kills it. So that was one of those things where I go, cause I had done the table reading, and it was funny, and then I pulled out because I went and saw my son in Thailand. So I know why I pulled out, I wouldn’t change it even today. But I would have liked to have done that movie.”
This even happened with Brolin’s Weapons role, which was intended to go to Pedro Pascal, but nearly the entire cast was changed when production was delayed by Hollywood strikes and everyone’s schedules shifted. Thanks to Weapons piled atop his other iconic performances, Brolin is immovable in the popular cultural zeitgeist, something more powerful than achieving consistent critical acclaim. Maybe he would have gotten another Oscar nod for Birdman, but he probably wishes he hadn’t had to give up the surreal film more than his fans.
