The four performances that taught Josh Brolin everything he needed to know about acting
Josh Brolin is one of those dynamic actors who happen to have been in some of the best films of all time and some of the absolute worst.
Despite being the son of James Brolin and, therefore, a nepo baby, his career has been anything but smooth. Today, of course, he’s a household name because of roles like Thanos in the MCU and Gurney Halleck in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune.
Like many actors who have been given a guided path into the industry, he seemed to simply fall into the profession, despite not really being exposed to his father’s career, starting in TV and appearing in the likes of The Goonies early on.
But after self-proclaimed horrendous acting in the 1986 film Thrasin’, Brolin took a step back from the screen for years, only to reappear in the humble little role of Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men. Considering giving up for good before being cast by the Coen brothers, he then went on to win an Academy Award for his supporting role in Milk the following year.
So, what happened between 1986 and 2006? Well, apparently, Brolin discovered some of his favourite acting performances of all time, realising that “acting could be as socially viable and impactful as any other art”. While he cited the usuals like Marlon Brando, James Dean and Montgomery Cliff as early influences, they weren’t the roles that had the biggest impact on him.
Instead, he seemingly hit a goldmine in 1990, where several films changed his whole outlook on the world of acting. We all know that feeling, when we just so happen to watch great performance after great performance in a short space of time, and it feels like nothing will ever be the same again. The four actors he credits are nothing short of legendary, starting with Sinead Cusack in an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters.
The actor happened to catch the two-time Tony Award and three-time Olivier Award-winner as Masha in the Frank McGuinness adaptation at the Gate Theatre in Dublin. Starring alongside her sisters, the three won the Irish Life Award in 1992 for their performances and were otherwise critically lauded. What was seemingly a random evening of entertainment for Brolin at the time turned out to have a lasting impression on him, as Sinead Cusack is likely to do.
As is fellow Irish actor, Daniel Day-Lewis, who is often considered to be one of the greatest actors of all time. A conclusion Brolin would clearly agree with. Out of Day-Lewis’ many outstanding performances, Brolin highlights his turn in My Left Foot as one that had a major effect on him. The film garnered him his first of three Academy Awards for ‘Best Actor’ and saw him develop his intense version of method acting.
Playing the disabled Irish painter and writer Christy Brown, Day-Lewis did everything from befriending people with severe disabilities to refusing to break character, insisting the crew push him around in a wheelchair. Unsurprisingly, the crew weren’t too impressed, but generations of actors, filmmakers and audiences have continued to be enamoured with his performance, including Brolin.
The third was another Oscar-nominated performance from a big name: Al Pacino as Sonny in Dog Day Afternoon. Given Pacino’s long list of nominations and accolades, this performance can be one that’s left on the back burner, but it’s one that seems to be in the category of ‘your favourite actors’ favourite acting performances’.
A super-charged and tightly wound performance from Pacino, he had initially rejected the role three times before taking it on. It might very well have ended up going to Dustin Hoffman, as many claimed the gay bank-robber Sonny looked startingly like either actor. Who knows if that would have made the cut for Brolin?
But the actor he praises the highest is, of course, Gena Rowlands. The whole discussion of his influences was included in an Instagram post marking the passing of the legendary actor. In it, Brolin highlighted her impactful performance as Mabel in John Cassavetes’ A Woman Under the Influence. While the director initially struggled to even get the film made, let alone distributed (he actually took to personally calling and asking art houses and universities to show it), it eventually caught the attention of critics, and Rowlands was nominated for an Academy Award.
In the years since, A Woman Under the Influence has only grown in relevance and acclaim, especially in reference to the central performance. So, it is no surprise that Brolin had this at the top of his list of influences. In his post, he explained, “Watching Gena was experiencing a behavioural orchestra in all its fanfare and depth. Thank you for your gifts, sensitivities, and impact”.
And expressing his gratitude was clearly necessary, as it seems these performances might have saved his career, given his ability to return to acting and critical acclaim in the years after his first experience of them.
