Josh Brolin

By: Written by Jordan Tappis | Photography by Michael Muller | January 30, 2009 | Film Lifestyle Profile Talent

Black Coffee and Apple Pie
Five Hours with Josh Brolin
By Jordan Tappis

A few minutes after 3 p.m. on a cold and rainy winter day, I was riding around Los Angeles in a giant black Dodge 4x4 pickup truck smoking cigarettes and listening to Willie Nelson. Josh Brolin was driving and I was in the passenger seat. It was right around Christmas and shoppers flooded the busy streets. “I used to love Christmas, man,” said Josh. I smiled. It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.

Josh and I had planned to meet at 2:30 p.m., shake hands, eat lunch, conduct a brief Q&A and then push off in separate directions. I got there about 30 minutes early to make a few phone calls and get myself prepared, but upon entering the W Hotel lobby it became evident that something was wrong. The CW Television Network was shooting an episode of the rehashed Beverly Hills 90210 and there were a few hundred people running around all over the place. Beside the fact that the commotion would likely make the interview portion of our allotted 60 minutes difficult, there were also about 50 looky-loos on the street and a fair share of tabloid photographers trolling in and around the hotel premises. I didn’t yet know Josh, but I felt fairly certain that he would find this atmosphere rather undesirable, and for some reason I felt compelled to protect the guy from the madding crowd. I called his publicist in an attempt to relocate the interview to a safer, less chaotic place, but I couldn’t get him on the phone. As 2:30 p.m. approached, and passed, my phone suddenly rang.

Josh: Jordan, it’s Josh. Sorry, I’m running a little late. I’ll be there in about 15 minutes, OK?

Me: No! Besides the fact that this hotel is a bummer in general, they are filming a soap opera in the lobby and it’s swarming with insects. I think you should just avoid this place altogether.

Josh: Really? OK. What do you want to do?
Me: Do you know of any other place nearby where we can get some food and talk?

Josh: How about this: Meet me out front in 15 minutes. I’ll be driving a black truck. Jump in with me and we will figure it out from there.”

Ten minutes later, like a scene straight out of some late-night cop drama, a giant black Dodge truck screeched up to the curb in front of five visibly shaken valet attendants and a 20 terrified extras. I ran down the stairs, pulled the door handle and caught my first glimpse of the Academy Award-nominated actor Josh Brolin. He was wearing snakeskin cowboy boots, tight blue wranglers and a giant smile under a thick mustache. I extended my arm and we shook hands firmly.

Josh: Nice to meet you, Jordan.

Me: “Likewise.”

We’d never met before, but like two old pals we slid into conversation effortlessly. Having similar backgrounds didn’t hurt. We were both born in Los Angeles, we grew up surfing competitively up and down the California coast, came up listening to punk rock, our family roots are planted firmly in the entertainment industry (it turns out that Josh’s parents met while his mother, Jane, was working as a casting director for my grandfather on the set of the Batman television series in the ’60s), and we’d both experienced the loneliness and heartache of losing a parent at a young age — my father died when I was 17, his mother tragically passed away in a car accident the day after Josh’s 27th birthday.

In past interviews with male subjects, I’ve often found myself having to fight for respect before they feel comfortable enough to expose themselves in a truly honest way. With Josh it was something altogether different. He was easy. There was no outer shell to contend with.

I learned the following things about Josh during that 15-minute drive:

• He is extremely happy about the current gas prices (at press time unleaded was $1.85 a gallon) and he mentioned (more than once) that at its peak it cost him well over $125 to fill up the tank of his 4X4.
• He smokes Winston cigarettes, windows down.
• As a young man, Josh was part of the notorious surf gang The Cito Rats — named after Montecito, the wealthy beach town in the Santa Barbara hills where Josh grew up.
• He was an accomplished surfer, competing in the WSA District 3 alongside three-time world champion Tom Curren.
• In his late teens, Josh was an early member of the seminal California punk band RKL (Rich Kids on LSD), which came out of the little-known hardcore band CVS (Cito Vice Squad).
• Christmas shopping used to be one of his favorite pastimes. Now, he can’t go anywhere without being hounded by paparazzi and fans — although he is quick to point out that he is not complaining and that he feels blessed.
• About 80 percent of Josh’s childhood friends are either dead or in jail because of drugs.
• He turned down the role of W., Oliver Stone’s recent film about the former president, twice.

Toward the end of our ride, Josh’s wife, actress Diane Lane, called his phone, and thanks to the wonders of Bluetooth, I was privy to a private conversation between husband and wife:

Diane: Baby, it’s me. Can you bring home a coffee when you are finished buying presents?

Josh: Uh, kinda busy right now, darlin’. Sitting in the car with a reporter about to do an interview.

Diane: Oh, that’s right. Can he hear this conversation?

Josh: Uh … yeah.

Diane: Does that mean he can hear me if I say the word “boner?”

Josh: Goodbye.

We ended up at a quaint little Iranian diner on the main drag in Westwood. Everybody who worked there, including the busboys, knew Josh by name. Out of respect for Josh’s privacy I wont reveal the name or location of the restaurant, but I will say that they make a better-than-average tuna melt.

“I’m gonna be honest with you Jordan, so far this is, without a doubt, the worst fucking interview I’ve ever been part of.” Josh wasn’t complaining — he was right. The problem was we were having such a good time shooting the shit that we failed entirely on the traditional interview front. The Q&A became the subtext to a deeper conversation that ended up lasting nearly five hours. The rest of our time was spent reminiscing about growing up on the California beaches, discussing the challenges of marriage and family, and contemplating the things that bother us, of which there are plenty.

Between riding the awards-season roller coaster for the critically acclaimed Milk, prepping for his next acting gig in Jonah Hex, producing a documentary about the writings of historian Howard Zinn, teaching his teenage daughter, Eden, how to drive, having a son in college (a pre-med student, no less), and being a husband, Josh Brolin has virtually no free time for himself. The fact that I was able to carve out an hour of his time seemed remarkable, but as we approached the fifth hour I began to feel kind of sad for him. As much as I wanted to believe that it was my biting wit and easygoing temperament that kept him engaged, I got the feeling that what kept him there was the fact that it was easy. Just two regular dudes chatting over pie and coffee. A rare reprieve from the cameras, kids, ringing phones, etc. I wondered how long it had been since Josh had enjoyed that kind of simplicity in his life.

Less than four years ago Josh Brolin was far from a household name outside Hollywood circles. He and his family were living on a sprawling California ranch and, although Josh worked on a few feature films a year, he spent the bulk of his time raising his family. They didn’t quite live off the land, but the Brolins certainly didn’t live the typical Hollywood lifestyle. Josh was making a modest living but he wasn’t landing coveted roles and hadn’t quite tapped into his full potential. Perhaps, as opposed to some of his contemporaries, it’s because Josh has spent more time developing as a man than he has chasing fame and celebrity. “There was one point where I did a movie called Melinda and Melinda, and I was doing a bunch of plays at the time,” says Josh. “I was doing True West in New York, feeling very connected to the work and really enjoying the people I was working with. Then I’d go and do another movie that I had to do because I needed to pay the bills. It was a bad way to conduct my career, especially after working with Woody Allen, but I didn’t really have the financial flexibility to do anything about it.”

But by 2006, Josh needed money, and he reluctantly decided to sell the family ranch. “We were at the top of the market, and I knew it was a good time to sell the place and learn how to make money on my equity. It was sad for everybody, but I had to be willing to put that luxury on the line to serve the greater good.” It was around that time that Josh became a stock trader. “I met this guy Brett Markinson, who is my good buddy and business partner now. We met on a plane, and we ended up talking for six hours straight about his theories on stock trading.” Markinson taught Josh about financial self-discipline, how to read graphs and forecasts and indicators — all the key information required to get started. “I became obsessed with it. I invested the money we made from the ranch, and started making more money than I’ve ever made before. That’s when I realized I didn’t have to act any longer.” The profit generated from the sale of the ranch was used to make investments that are yielding significant returns. “We now have apartments in Texas, Pomona, West L.A. and Downtown L.A. — properties generating immediate, positive cash flow.” On the urging of Markinson, Josh took one-third of that profit and started trading. “As of today, I’ve made over 126 percent on my investment. That’s all from stock trading. Over the past three years, I’ve made way more money trading than acting.”

“Am I boring you, Jordan?” Josh’s voice increased in volume. “I don’t think you understand, bro. My first year as a trader I made 56 percent. This year, everybody’s fucked, right? I’ve made 62 percent so far this year. We’re doing really well. It’s the discipline, extreme self-discipline.” Truth is, at that moment, my attention might have waned slightly. While I was thoroughly impressed with his business savvy and enthusiasm, after 45 minutes of talking about the stock market I found myself eager to get back on topic. I was sitting with one of the best actors on the planet, a guy who is likely to be nominated for (and may even win) a whole slew of prestigious awards this year. That’s the stuff I wanted to get into. Suddenly, the door of the restaurant swung open and in walked Josh’s father, veteran actor and proud papa James Brolin. We briefly introduced ourselves and he grabbed a seat in the booth beside me. And then Josh started in on poetry.

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