Actor Josh Brolin recently revealed he had to prove himself multiple times before landing his role as Brand Walsh in the 1985 classic "The Goonies," largely due to being the son of famous actor James Brolin.
Speaking on SiriusXM's "Literally! With Rob Lowe," Brolin, now 56, shared how casting directors initially questioned his intentions because of his family connection. "They pulled the Brolin thing - 'Are you [James] Brolin's kid? You want to be an actor, huh?'" the actor recalled.
Determined to showcase his talent, the then 16-year-old Brolin immersed himself in theatrical studies, spending considerable time reading works by Stanislavski, Grotowski, and Antonin Artaud. Despite looking perfect for the role of Brand Walsh - "a bit of a bad boy, but sort of a jock" - he still had to audition six times before convincing director Richard Donner and producer Steven Spielberg.
In an amusing anecdote, Brolin remembered approaching Spielberg with a deep artistic interpretation of his character's scenes in the tunnels, suggesting they represented "his mother's womb" and proposing an emotional performance about cutting "that emotional umbilical cord." Spielberg's response was straightforward: "Why don't you just act? Just say the words on the page, you'll be fine."
The film, which featured young talents including Corey Feldman, Ke Huy Quan, and Sean Astin, has left lasting bonds among its cast. Quan, in a recent 2024 interview, described Brolin as "like the older brother" to the younger cast members, emphasizing how the group became "like a big family" during filming, complete with "fighting, love, making fun of, and laughter."