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Josh Brolin

Acting

Born February 12, 1968 · Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, USA

Also known as Josh J. Brolin · Josh James Brolin · Joshua Brolin

Biography

Josh James Brolin (born February 12, 1968) is an American actor. A son of actor James Brolin, he gained fame in his youth for his role in the adventure film The Goonies (1985). After years of decline, Brolin had a resurgence with his starring role in the crime film No Country for Old Men (2007). Brolin received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for portraying Dan White in the biopic Milk (2008). Brolin's career progressed with roles in W. (2008), True Grit (2010), Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), Men in Black 3 (2012), Oldboy (2013), Inherent Vice (2014), Everest (2015), and Hail, Caesar! (2016). He gained wider recognition for playing Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including in the films Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), as well as Cable in Deadpool 2 (2018). Brolin also collaborated with filmmaker Denis Villeneuve in the action thriller Sicario (2015) and in the science fiction films Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), in which he played Gurney Halleck.

Awards & recognition

  • MTV Movie AwardBest Villain · 2019
  • MTV Movie AwardBest Villain · 2018 · nominated
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actor · 2009 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

Avengers: Endgame

2019as Thanos

Avengers: Infinity War

2018as Thanos

Dune: Part Two

2024as Gurney Halleck

What If...?

2021as Thanos (voice)

Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for a King

2020as Self

No Country for Old Men

2007as Llewelyn Moss

Guardians of the Galaxy

2014as Thanos (uncredited)

Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music

2025as Self (archive footage)

Dune: Part One

2021as Gurney Halleck

Stand Up to Cancer

as Self

The Outer Limits

1995as Jack Pierce

American Gangster

2007as Detective Trupo

Deadpool 2

2018as Cable

Only the Brave

2017as Eric Marsh

30 for 30

2009as Narrator (voice)

The Goonies

1985as Brand

Marvel Studios: Legends

2021as Thanos (archive footage) (uncredited)

Ride with Norman Reedus

2016as Self

Sicario

2015as Matt Graver

The Young Riders

1989as Wild Bill Hickok

Highway to Heaven

1984

Weapons

2025as Archer

Avengers: Age of Ultron

2015as Thanos (uncredited)

True Grit

2010as Tom Chaney

Wake Up Dead Man

2025as Mons. Jefferson Wicks

Conan

2010as Self - Guest

The People Speak

2009as Self

Milk

2008as Dan White

The Graham Norton Show

2007as Self - Guest

21 Jump Street

1987as Taylor Rolator

Countdown: Canelo vs. Crawford

as Narrator (voice)

Hot Ones

2015as Self

Labor Day

2013as Frank

The Tillman Story

2010as Narrator (voice)

Grindhouse

2007as Block (segment "Planet Terror")

Outer Range

2022as Royal Abbott

Sicario: Day of the Soldado

2018as Matt Graver

Saturday Night Live

1975as Self - Host

Breakdown: 1975

2025as Self

The Running Man

2025as Dan Killian

George & Tammy

2022Executive Producer

Everest

2015as Beck Weathers

Mankind: The Story of All of Us

2012as Self - Narrator

In the Valley of Elah

2007as Chief Buchwald

Planet Terror

2007as Dr. William Block

Inherent Vice

2014as Lt. Det. Christian F. "Bigfoot" Bjornsen

Men in Black 3

2012as Young Agent K

The Kelly Clarkson Show

2019as Self

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

2014as Dwight

Gangster Squad

2013as John O'Mara