Josh Brolin Opens Up About Addiction and His Troubled Childhood
Josh Brolin has opened up about his childhood, addiction and difficult family experiences in his memoir, From Under the Truck.
The actor recalled how his mother, wildlife conservationist Jane Brolin, used to scare him and his brother by pretending to send wild animals after them. Though frightening, Brolin says he still deeply loved and wanted his mother around.
She died in a car accident at 55 in 1995. During his own struggles with addiction, Brolin once believed 55 was a long life. Now, he realizes how wrong he was.
Brolin also credits his stepmother, Barbra Streisand, with giving him some much-needed tough love. When he asked for wine, she bluntly reminded him that he was an alcoholic and shouldn’t drink.
His addiction began frighteningly young—he tried marijuana at 9 and LSD at 13. But in 2013, visiting his dying grandmother while hungover became a turning point.
“I knew that was going to be the last time I drank,” he recalled.
More than a decade into sobriety, Brolin says he loves being sober and enjoys growing older.
His story is a powerful reminder that even people who seem to have everything can fight battles the world never sees.