Josh Brolin

October 13, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Josh Brolin on Sobriety, Survival, and Refusing to Be Defined

The first thing Josh Brolin said to Theo Von when they sat down was not about acting. It was about being an alcoholic. "It's nice to talk to another alcoholic," Brolin said, checking whether that was okay to say on the record. Von assured him it was. That moment set the tone for a conversation that moved through addiction, childhood chaos, the long grind between The Goonies and No Country for Old Men, and a philosophy of staying undefined.

Growing Up in Chaos: Wolves, Mountain Lions, and a Mother Who Prioritized Animals

Brolin grew up on a 230-acre ranch in Paso Robles, California, where his mother was a wildlife activist. She took in animals that had been illegally taken from the wild—wolves, mountain lions, a bear, a chimpanzee named Reggie. "My mom definitely prioritized those animals more than us," Brolin said. His brother got 60 stitches in his leg from a wolf at age six. Reggie the chimp once escaped his cage, grabbed a shotgun from a truck, and figured out how to chamber a round after watching Arnold Schwarzenegger movies with Brolin's mother.

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What you'll learn

1 (00:03) **Episode Introduction & Promos** - Theo opens with ads for *Tulsa King* and his new Netflix special, then introduces guest Josh Brolin.
2 (07:36) **The Rat as a Personal Totem** - Theo draws deep parallels between the biology of rats and his own psychology.
3 (09:30) **Growing Up with Chaos and Wild Animals** - Josh details his childhood with a wildlife activist mother who kept wolves, mountain lions, and a chimpanzee in the house.
4 (11:18) **The Function of Drinking and Using** - The two deconstruct their specific relationships with alcohol and cocaine.
5 (14:11) **The Wolf Attack and Reggie the Chimp** - Josh tells the story of his brother getting 60 stitches from a wolf, and the legendary chimpanzee Reggie.
6 (17:49) **Mom: The Severe, Protective Force** - Theo asks if it was easier for Josh’s mom to care for animals than humans, leading to a deep dive into her character.
7 (22:10) **The Cito Rats: From Punk Community to Self-Destruction** - Josh clarifies the Cito Rats were a support system, not a gang, that eventually turned destructive.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Theo Von

Show Notes

Josh Brolin is an actor and writer. His new movie “Whalefall” is in theaters October 16th.

Josh joins Theo to talk about the legacy of his old crew “the Cito Rats”, how his mom’s unique spirit impacted his life, and the times he thought he might not make it as an actor.

Josh Brolin: https://www.instagram.com/joshbrolin

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