Josh Brolin Isn’t Here for Fame-Chaser Actors, He Wants Real Actors Who "Get in the Soup"
Josh Brolin has seen it all. From battling Thanos-level stakes in the MCU to digging deep into grittier dramas, the guy’s career spans decades and genres. But despite the accolades, box office hits, and serious acting chops, Brolin's got one thing on his mind these days… What the hell happened to the art of acting?
In a recent sit-down with Graham Bensinger, Brolin didn’t hold back when reflecting on how the industry’s changed, and not for the better.
“This profession in this day and age, when you see people come up and say ‘I want to be an actor.’ Nine times out of ten they want to know how to be famous. Whereas back in the day, it was about paying your dues and about the kind of work that you were doing.”
For Brolin, the issue isn’t just that newcomers want success, it’s what they think success means. He grew up around actors who obsessed over technique, storytelling, and emotional truth.
Today, he sees a generation more interested in Instagram blue checks and red carpets than digging into roles that leave bruises on the soul.
“Less and less do you find actors that just want to get in the soup, get in the cauldron together.”
“Get in the soup” is about embracing the messy, collaborative chaos that makes film so magical. He wants actors who’ll wrestle with the material, get vulnerable, challenge each other, and come out of it transformed, not ones chasing a lifestyle brand.
And sure, some might write this off as a generational gripe. Brolin is a legacy, the son of actor James Brolin, and even he had to shake off assumptions that he was riding coattails.
Back on The Goonies, he was already deep into method studies. So deep, in fact, Spielberg had to tell him to lighten up a bit.
But when Brolin talks about the kind of performances that leave a mark, he’s not rattling off box office stats. He’s looking at actor like Denzel Washington:
“I look back at the work that Denzel’s done and I’m absolutely flabbergasted. When he has that tear come down in Glory or Cry Freedom, is another great one. So many great movies that I look at him and I’m just in awe. In absolute awe. How do you do that?”
That’s the bar for Brolin. Not fame. Not followers. Just the raw, undeniable power of a performance that punches through the screen.
And maybe there’s still hope. When Dune co-star Timothée Chalamet took home his Oscar, he didn’t shout out the fame game, he said he wanted to be one of the greats. That’s the kind of mindset Brolin is rooting for.
In a world obsessed with going viral, Brolin’s calling for a return to the trenches, where the real work happens. Where actors still sweat, bleed, and feel for their roles.
And if you’re not willing to “get in the soup,” maybe it’s time to rethink why you’re even holding the spoon.