A 52-year-old man rummaging through California’s dumpsters might not immediately evoke Hollywood connections, but a younger version of this man can be found in countless photos of famous stars. His family tree? None other than his older brother Josh Brolin, his father James Brolin, and his stepmother, Barbra Streisand.
Jess Brolin was born to actor James Brolin and his wife Jane, who was a casting director and eco-activist. First came Josh, and four years later, Jess followed. James and Jane had a whirlwind romance, marrying just 12 days after meeting, and together, they rode the wave of James Brolin’s success as a television star. Their marriage lasted 18 years before ending in 1984.
Tragedy struck in 1995 when Jane was killed in a car accident. Jess, 23 at the time, inherited a significant amount of money from his mother, which seemingly supported him for years to come. In the late 1990s, Jess made an attempt at working in the film industry, serving as an assistant on several projects. But for reasons unknown, things didn’t pan out. The last film he worked on was released in 2002.
Journalists have since uncovered that Jess now lives in a motel room, likely provided by social services. And what about his millionaire relatives? Both his father and brother reside in multi-million-dollar mansions and own various properties.
In fact, it appears that Josh Brolin makes a concerted effort to stay in touch with his brother. A photo of the two together exists, taken after Jess had already fallen into homelessness.
Every family has its black sheep. However, given that no one has labeled Jess Brolin an alcoholic or drug addict, it’s likely that his struggles stem from deeper mental or psychological issues.
