Josh Brolin has said he almost abandoned his latest film on the first day of shooting, admitting that Ridley Scott’s intense directing style initially left him “scared.”
First Impressions
The Oscar‑nominated actor appears as ex‑Marine Bangley in The Dog Stars, a forthcoming post‑apocalyptic drama, and revealed that his early experience on set made him question whether he should continue with the project at all.
Speaking to Empire, Brolin said Scott’s early approach caught him off guard.
He explained, “Ridley was talking a lot of stories and not really rehearsing, and it bugged me out, and I got really scared. I went back, called my agent and said, ‘I want out. Something’s really wrong, and I’ve got to get the f*** out of here.’”
Brolin said the moment felt so overwhelming that he immediately considered leaving.
He added, “I was like, ‘No, man, I know what the f*** you’re doing. It’s not one of those day-things.’ And I was right.”
Taking a Pause
Although the actor had previously worked with Scott on American Gangster in 2007, he said the director’s rapid, multi‑camera method on The Dog Stars was unlike the more traditional, rehearsal‑driven sets he was used to. The shift prompted him to call his agent, who encouraged him to pause before making any final decisions.
Brolin recalled, “Luckily my agent is a close friend and he said, ‘Rest for a day.’ I was like, ‘No, man, I know what the f*** you’re doing.’”
Changed Perspective
After stepping back briefly, Brolin returned to the set with a different perspective. The turning point came when Scott invited him into his trailer to review the footage they had just captured.
Brolin shared, “[Ridley] goes, ‘Come here,’ and he brought me into his trailer, and played the scene we had just finished.”
What he saw immediately changed his outlook.
He added, “It was a really good, very dynamic scene between me and Jacob, and he goes, ‘Okay?’ I go, ‘Okay,’ and then I started to feed off that.”
Brolin said that moment helped him understand Scott’s rhythm, shifting him from uncertainty to trust in the director’s instinct‑driven pace. Scott, whose credits include Gladiator, Alien, and Blade Runner, is known for favoring momentum and performance over extended rehearsal time.
“Super Fast” Directing Style
Gladiator II star Paul Mescal previously described Scott’s unique directing style as “super fast.”
He told Screen Rant, “I’ve never worked with anybody like him in terms of style. It’s super fast. It feels like how it felt like when I was playing sports. It’s a different, you’re exercising different muscles, and I think as a result, anybody who’s seen any of my work that’s preceded this, it’s a very different performance as a result, which of course it is because it’s a different style of direction, and he’s just, as you said, he’s a legend and will be remembered as such.”