Josh Brolin’s rise to Hollywood stardom is a tale packed with grit, reinvention, and a touch of serendipity—one that intertwines not just his own fortunes, but also brushes up against the ever-present world of American politics and celebrity feuds. As 2025 draws to a close, Brolin’s journey stands as a testament to both the unpredictability of the entertainment industry and the resilience required to thrive within it.
Before he became the face—and the voice—of Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Josh Brolin’s career was anything but secure. According to an interview he gave on Guy Raz’s podcast, Brolin candidly revealed that the early stages of his acting life were marked by significant financial struggles. Despite landing roles in major Hollywood productions, including his first appearance as Thanos in The Avengers (2012), Brolin said, “You think being an actor means you’re rich, but that’s not always true.” He often found himself struggling to pay for basic living expenses, rent included, and navigating the complexities of managing relationships with agents and lawyers only compounded his financial woes.
That all began to change with a chance encounter. On an otherwise ordinary flight, Brolin met entrepreneur Brett Markinson. As reported by El-Balad, this meeting would prove pivotal, introducing Brolin to the world of day trading. The actor, who had always approached his craft with seriousness, brought the same level of dedication to understanding financial markets. He immersed himself in learning trading strategies and set up a home trading system. The results were remarkable: Brolin soon found himself earning more from trading than he ever had from acting.
“I treated trading with the same seriousness as acting,” Brolin reflected, according to El-Balad. This period of financial stability not only gave him breathing room, but also taught him patience and a new way to manage his finances—skills that would serve him well when he eventually returned to Hollywood.
Return he did, and in spectacular fashion. Brolin’s comeback was cemented by his portrayal of Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. His performance was widely lauded and helped solidify his place among the top echelon of Hollywood actors. Since then, Brolin’s career has only flourished further. He’s taken on roles in high-profile projects such as Dune, Dune: Part Two, Weapons, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and The Running Man. Fans can also look forward to his return in Dune: Part Three, expected to hit theaters in 2026.
Brolin’s story of transformation is inspiring in its own right, but it also places him at the heart of Hollywood’s ongoing dance with politics, particularly through his public comments about former President Donald Trump. In a recent interview with The Independent, Brolin did not mince words when discussing Trump’s controversial musings about a possible third presidential term, which would be unconstitutional. “I’m not scared of Trump, because even though he says he’s staying forever, it’s just not going to happen, and if it does, then I’ll deal with that moment,” Brolin said, as reported by Us Weekly.
But Brolin also offered a nuanced take on Trump’s enduring appeal. “There is no greater genius than him in marketing—he takes the weakness of a general population and fills it. And that’s why I think a lot of people feel that they have a mascot in him. I think it’s much less about Trump than it is about the general population and their need for validation,” Brolin explained. His remarks reflect the complex relationship many in Hollywood have with Trump: a mix of criticism, grudging respect for his media savvy, and a pointed awareness of his impact on American culture.
Brolin isn’t alone among Hollywood stars in reflecting on their ties to Trump. George Clooney, another A-lister with a storied career and a history of political activism, recently shared his own memories of the former president. In a report published by Variety on December 30, 2025, Clooney reminisced about a time when Trump was more of a socialite than a political firebrand. “I knew him very well, he used to call me a lot, and he tried to help me get into a hospital once to see a back surgeon. I’d see him out at clubs and at restaurants,” Clooney recalled. Yet, as Clooney explained, that affable personality shifted dramatically once Trump entered politics. “He’s a big goofball. Well, he was. That all changed,” Clooney noted.
Their relationship, once rooted in mutual respect and casual encounters, has since soured. In March 2025, Clooney appeared on 60 Minutes to promote a Broadway production and spoke candidly about political pressures on journalists, particularly during the Trump administration. “ABC has just settled a lawsuit with the Trump administration. And CBS News is in the process … We’re seeing this idea of using government to scare or fine or use corporations – to make journalists smaller,” Clooney told 60 Minutes. He added, “Governments don’t like the freedom of the press. They never have. And that goes for whether you are a conservative or a liberal or whatever side you’re on. They don’t like the press.”
Trump, never one to let criticism go unanswered, responded on Truth Social by calling Clooney a “second-rate movie star” and a “failed political pundit.” He also criticized Clooney’s political support history, writing, “He fought hard for Sleepy Joe’s election, and then, right after the Debate, dumped him like a dog. Later, I assume under orders from the Obama camp, pushed all out for ‘Kamala,’ only to soon realise that this was not going to work out too well.”
Clooney, for his part, was unfazed. In an April 2025 interview with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, he responded to Trump’s attacks with characteristic calm. “I don’t care. I’ve known Donald Trump for a long time. My job is not to please the president of the United States. My job is to try and tell the truth when I can and when I have the opportunity. I am well aware of the idea that people will not like that,” Clooney said. He went on, “People will criticise that. Elon Musk has weighed in [about me]. That is their right. It’s my right to say the other side.”
As 2025 closes, the intersection of Hollywood and politics remains as charged as ever. For stars like Josh Brolin and George Clooney, personal journeys and public stances continue to shape not just their own legacies, but also the broader conversation about fame, power, and truth in America. Their stories remind us that behind every headline is a human being—one who’s navigated hardship, reinvention, and the relentless glare of the public eye, all while trying to make sense of a world that’s always changing.
