With directorJoseph KosinskisOnly the Bravenow in theaters, I recently landed an exclusive interview with starJosh Brolin.
Brolin plays the guy at the top, superintendentEric Marsh, andMiles Tellerplays his new recruit,Brendan McDonaugh.
Check out what Josh Brolin had to say below.
Collider: I get to talk to you twice in a week.
This is a good week for me.
BROLIN: No, it’s a good week for me too.
Image via Sony Pictures
It’s like somebody who I’m familiar with.
Even if it’s just the four-minute familiarity.
I have friends that are actors that talk about doing press.
BROLIN: You know what?
The harder press is when you’re going …
This one’s pretty good and it’s been pretty intimate.
Photo by Richard Foreman
Usually … Not usually, but half the time you go around you have to lie about a movie.
You’re like, “This is great,” and you know it sucks.
You’re just going, “What am I doing?
Image via Sony Pictures
What am I doing with my life?
Who am I?”
With this one, it’s the opposite, man.
Image via 20th Century Fox
The movie’s fantastic and it does a great job at portraying these true-life heroes.
There’s nothing to be down about when it comes to something like this.
I feel the same way, man.
Image via 20th Century Fox
I don’t think that we exploit them wrongly in any way.
The response isn’t just like, “Wow.
There’s a performance that stands out.”
Image via Lionsgate
People have been very nice to me, but at the same time, they talk about Joseph Kosinski.
They talk about the movie.
They talk about the spirit in which it lives.
Image via Lionsgate
Have to ask you, how hard is it to pretend to be married to Jennifer Connelly?
BROLIN: That sounds like that’s a loaded question, man.
It’s wonderful, man.
Image via Marvel
She’s really wonderful.
She’s a beautiful girl.
You forget because, yeah, she was beautiful on set, but she was definitely stripped down.
I don’t mean literally.
Then you see on the red carpet and you’re like, “Holy shit.
She’s what we call a talented actor.
Image via Marvel Studios
Yeah, she’s the real deal.
I’m sure there’s a number of scripts that come across your desk.
I’m sure there’s a lot of directors that present you with material.
Talk a little bit about that first meeting with Joseph and him pitching you on the idea.
Collider: How you doing today, sir?
Even more so because a lot of these guys don’t want to be exploited in any way.
It’s funny because Joe comes across in this kind of Tom Slick way.
Not slick, but just his look.
He’s an architect.
I don’t know.
He’s kind of nerdy looking.
He didn’t try and sell me in the way that these other guys had.
He just told me how impassioned he was about this script.
He didn’t say that it was his one … What do they call it?
He just said, “I really appreciate this story.
I came across this story.
It’s a movie that hasn’t been done for a while.
The last movie really of note that’s been done about firefighting isBackdraft.
We have our own feelings aboutBackdraft.
It just seemed like a great opportunity, but more than anything I just wanted to …
He turned out to be that in spades.
I’ve talked to him a number of times.
He’s just a really smart guy too.
BROLIN: He is an extremely smart guy.
That’s the thing is you have … Then on the other side of it, like I said, he’s kind technically a brilliant filmmaker.
By the way, he was smart enough not to make too complex of a film.
I’ll put it this way.
I don’t think my first few takes are normally the best.
I’m very experimental.
It’s so interesting.
I’ve watched a number of actors work on set and some give a very familiar …
I don’t want to hit a thing.
I don’t want to imagine that there’s any one thing that exists.
In anybody’s behavior, whether it be yours or …
Anybody who I’ve ever come across, I don’t think …
It just feels like a manipulation.
It usually is for something that’s selfish.
I go, “Ah.
Do away with all that stuff.”
Not necessarily laughing per se, but you know what I mean?
Crying is not always the result of a sad feeling.
They may cover it up.
They may go hard.
They may go … You know what I mean?
It’s a scary place to put yourself in, but between Jennifer and I.
When you do a scene like that with Jennifer in the car, it’s very raw.
I’m sure it’s something that you’re not just banging out in 30 minutes.
Can you sort of talk about that and sort of regrouping after doing such a scene?
You want to be available.”
I don’t know.
I don’t know.
Maybe because I’m so busy.
I don’t know.
I don’t know and I don’t really think about it until I talk to you.
Until I talk to you and venture to deconstruct it.
I think this is the direction to go.
BROLIN: That can also set myself up for great humiliation, which I’m totally willing to embrace.
One of the thing’s David known for is action.
He’s a very, very good action director.
What can you tease people about the action in the sequel?
What surprised you about doing it?
I don’t know who said that or why they said that or even if I felt that.
I don’t think I did because I loved the firstDeadpool.
With this movie, it’s just a different deal.
He embraces what he’s very good at, which I think is very smart.
There’s ton of action in it.
I got beat to shit on that movie.
That’s all I know.
I had stuntmen throwing me all over the place.
We got through it.
I pushed hard and I suffered because of it.
One of the things that I think a lot of people are curious about is Cable’s origin… How much about his story is going to be spread out over the next few films?
BROLIN: I think that’s the biggest thing.
No, no, no.
I think when you’re sensitive about how you appreciate it.
There’s a lot to be revealed.
There’s a lot to be revealed, but there’s three more movies to reveal more.
BROLIN: I think it’s just some time.
When’s next year?
What year are we in now?
We’re in the end of 2017.
Yeah, I think it’s sometime next year or soon thereafter.
It might even be …
It depends on howDeadpooldoes, but I don’t think that’s a make or break kind of deal.
Drew Goddard is already involved in it.
He’s into it now.
I know he and Ryan [Reynolds] were meeting.
I’ve met him once, and so this is all kind of going ahead.
When it happens they’re going to put together is such a big .
I’m very confident that Fox is moving forward as quick as they can.
I’ve got to jump into something else.
I am so amped up forSoldado.
BROLIN: I’m glad, man.
We need to this, and this, and that to it.”
Everybody else had their notes and then when they saw the final it’s a really good movie.
I’m really excited about it.
I was actually surprised at how good it turned out.
Sicariois unbelievable, but the main reason I want to seeSoldadois Taylor [Sheridan].
Taylor’s script is obviously the main reason I’m sure you guys all wanted to come back.
What was your reaction when you read the script?
I think the way he’s breaking the rules right now is really, really interesting.
He understands drama better than most people, and we’re all looking …
It’s kind of like whenNo Countrycame out.
But they’re so appreciative of it that they don’t even …
They’ve seen it three or four or five times.
You know what I’m saying?
To me, it’s brilliantly structured in what he chooses to focus on inSoldado.
If we go on and do a third one, I’d think it’d be great.
I think it’s appropriate if we choose to do that.
This is going to be a big … People are coming out for this"?
BROLIN: When I saw it, I said, “This is a really f-ing good movie.”
When I finished the movie, I thought it was going to be okay.
I had seen Denis [Villeneuve]’s movies.
When you have an okay script you’re constantly manipulating it to make it sound decent is one thing.
BROLIN: I think it’s just more severe, man.
All the way around.
I think the characters are more severe.
I think the movie is more severe.
I think it’s just much bigger.
It’s just a bigger scope film.
Why do they have to be less emotional?
I thinkSoldado’sa perfect example of that.
I think it’s extremely emotional.
I think it’s extremely tense and it deals with similar subject matters.
Fans are going to love you as Cable.
The reaction to the pictures has been very, very strong.
They’re fighting someone incredibly strong and this is the culmination of 22 movies.
Look, not everybody can be on your side all the time and that’s okay.
When playing a character like this, dude, it’s like there’s something …
It really turned out …
I don’t know any other way to put it.
It really turned out to be one of the greatest experiences I’ve had.
I had no idea.
I don’t know how I could be anything but happy.
I definitely want to ask you about working with them and maybe what surprised you about collaborating with them?
I’m like, I love you so much.
This is a one-time deal.
We’re doing two movies.
One back to back, and this is it for us.
He said just how emotional it is.
I thought that was very-
BROLIN: Well, that’s what they said to me.
Yeah, which I can’t wait because ultimately, listen, man …
Even withDeadpool, it doesn’t matter how awesome the action is.
It matters how much you love these characters who are then put in these situations.
BROLIN: That’s what I say over, and over, and over, and over.
If you don’t care, nobody else will.
That’s what was so great about the firstDeadpoolis people got him, so the movie was good.
I think, at least in the case ofDeadpool, I think you’ll find Cable interesting.
I don’t think he’s a one-note deal.
I think that’s the case with even though it’s a mo-cap character with Thanos.
He’s not a one-note deal.
I’m going to be honest.
I think that Marvel antagonists in their movies has not been their strength.
Their strength has been a lot of other things.
you better be scared.
Do you think the film pulls that off?
BROLIN: I agree.
Do you thinkGeorge and Tammywill ever happen?
BROLIN: I’m hoping, man.
ThenDeadpoolcame along, so we decided to doDeadpoolfor that moment instead becauseGeorge and Tammyhad fallen apart.
Growing up with a mother who loved country music.
I think it’s possible.
I’m not positive, but I think it’s possible.
BROLIN: Thanks, brother.
I really appreciate it.
Listen, have a fantastic day.
