Photo: (2008) Steve Granitz, © WireImage.com; biography: primarily from Robert Stage on the IMDb

Born in Los Angeles, CA; son of actor James Brolin and Jane Cameron Agee; named after "Josh Randall", the character Steve McQueen played in "Wanted: Dead or Alive". Young Josh was initially against the lifestyle of the entertainment business, in light of his parents' divorce in 1986, and both of them being actors. However, he fell for theatre after playing a part in a school production of "A Streetcar named Desire". His first major screen role was as the older brother in the film THE GOONIES (1985) based on a story by Steven Spielberg. He then immediately moved on to work on television, taking roles in such series as "Private Eye" (1987-88) and "The Young Riders" (1989-92). "Private Eye" was a chance for Brolin to play a detective. "The Young Riders" was set just before the Civil War, and was co-directed by his father.

After "The Young Riders", Brolin moved back to the big screen, with mediocre success. He played a supporting role in THE ROAD KILLERS (1994), but the film was not a hit. He followed up with the crime film GANG IN BLUE (1996), the romantic film BED OF ROSES (1996), the thriller NIGHTWATCH (1997), and appeared with his father in MY BROTHER'S WAR (1997). However, nothing truly stuck out, especially not the box office flop THE MOD SQUAD (1999).

The 2000s initially brought no significant change in Brolin's career. He appeared in the independent film SLOW BURN (2000), the sci-fi thriller HOLLOW MAN (2000) and starred in the television series "Mister Sterling".

It was not until 2007 that Brolin received much acclaim for his films. He took a supporting role in the Quentin Tarantino-written GRINDHOUSE (2007) which was a two-part film accounting two horror stories. He also played two policemen that year: a corrupt officer Trupo in the crime epic AMERICAN GANGSTER (2007), and an honest police chief in the emotional drama IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH (2007) which starred Tommy Lee Jones and was directed by Paul Haggis. However, it was his involvement in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN (2007) that truly pushed him into the limelight.

The film, directed by the Coen brothers, was about a man (Brolin) who finds a satchel containing two million dollars in cash. He is pursued by an unstoppable assassin (Javier Bardem who won an Oscar^® for his work) and his friend, a local sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones). The film won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Brolin found high-profile work the next year, being cast as Supervisor Dan White in the film MILK (2008) and the role of George W. Bush in the Oliver Stone film W (2009).

Brolin was married to actress Alice Adair from 1988 to 1992; they have 2 children. He had a relationship with actress Minnie Driver from 1999 to 2001. In 2004, he married actress Diane Lane. He was invited to join A.M.P.A.S. in 2008.

  Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role 2008: MILK