Josh Brolin: How I Became a Day Trader

Josh Brolin details a pivotal period in his career when financial instability forced him to supplement his acting income through professional stock trading. Despite maintaining a consistent presence in film since *The Goonies*, Brolin faced significant overhead costs and family responsibilities that his acting wages could not cover. He leveraged his natural curiosity to master technical analysis and market discipline under the mentorship of entrepreneur Brett Markinson, eventually earning more through day trading than he had in his early acting career. This financial independence allowed him to maintain his artistic integrity, refusing lucrative but unappealing television offers even when he was "desperately" in need of funds. Ultimately, his deep understanding of market psychology—specifically the roles of fear and greed—informed his later performances, such as his role in *Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps*, and provided the stability necessary to wait for career-defining roles like Llewelyn Moss in *No Country for Old Men*.