While some comic book readers may not know what he looks like in real life, it’s worth noting that Josh Brolin has been a working Hollywood actor since the ’80s. His first-ever screen role was that of Brand in the beloved 1985 adventure film, “The Goonies.” He followed up his breakout turn in that film with roles in a string of other, lesser-known ’80s and ’90s movies, including “Thrashin’,” “The Road Killers,” and “Nightwatch.” Later, he appeared as Llewelyn Moss in 2007’s “No Country For Old Men,” which re-established him as one of the most promising actors of his generation.
The next year, he played George W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s “W.” and Dan White in “Milk,” the latter of which earned him his sole Oscar nomination to date. In the years since then, Brolin has had noteworthy roles in high-profile films like “Men in Black 3,” “Sicario,” and “Dune.” He’s also appeared in a handful of other acclaimed dramas and comedies, including “True Grit,” “Hail, Caesar!,” “Only the Brave,” and “Inherent Vice.” He even dipped his toes into the comic book genre, albeit unsuccessfully, when he played the eponymous role in 2010’s “Jonah Hex.”
In 2018, after making his first screen appearance as Thanos in 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” Brolin even took on the iconic role of Cable in “Deadpool 2.” His turn as Cable didn’t require Brolin to undergo the same kind of CGI transformation that Thanos demanded, but it turns out that the actor actually preferred playing the purple-skinned cosmic dictator to his time-traveling “Deadpool 2” mercenary.
