Before W., Josh Brolin was just one of those actors whose faces you probably knew, but not the names.  I didn't even know he existed until I first got wind of plans to shoot the George W. Bush biopic.  After the film premiered, however, he's everywhere—a guest host stint on Saturday Night Live, a lot of interviews in the press, and a lot of interest overall.  Why else would Jonah Hex get so much publicity?

Sure, he was growing in prominence before W., with takes in American Gangster and No Country for Old Men, among others.  Now, after taking the role of a sitting president, he's on top of everything, and looking back, he's glad to have taken the risk. “Everyone said, ‘Why would you want to do that?'” he said.  “And most of my friends continued to ask ‘why' until it came out.  I don't know how we're getting the praise and accolades we're getting.  It's amazing to me.  It was the ultimate risk, and it's the ultimate reward.”

In fact, working for W. is the highlight of his 2008.  “The reviews that I got that I didn't expect for W. made me very happy,” he explained.  “And Oliver [Stone] and I in a dark room coming up with about five different versions of the film and picking the one that we did … There was a more satirical version.  A more sardonic version.  One that was more darkly humorous.  A more pathetic one.  We were really scrambling to find the right tone.”

Some say he should've received his big Oscar break last year, with his role as a Vietnam veteran in No Country for Old Men.  He doesn't really mind not getting a nomination, though.  “I feel good about the decisions I've made since then,” he said.  “I had an opportunity to do other movies.  My bank account isn't happy, but I am, ultimately.  And now I'm thinking about doing this movie [Jonah Hex] next year, and it's something people won't expect at all.  It's really [about] having fun with a movie and getting a director that's phenomenal.”


-Henrik Batallones, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: MTV News
(Image courtesy of Lionsgate Pictures)