Thanos Trading Stocks? Josh Brolin Reveals Trading Made Him Richer Than Acting

Thanos Trading Stocks? Josh Brolin Reveals Trading Made Him Richer Than Acting

Thanos star, Josh Brolin, says stock trading made him more money than acting ever did. The actor credits discipline and one explosive stock pick for the unexpected financial success.

By Divineokpara02 - Jun 03, 2025 10:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Marvel Studios

In a revelation that might surprise Marvel fans, Josh Brolin—the man behind the iconic role of Thanos—says he made more money trading stocks than acting. During a candid interview with journalist Guy Raz, Brolin discussed how a stalled acting career led him to the stock market, and how discipline—not luck—turned investing into his most profitable venture.

“I had children going to school and I just wasn’t making money, man,” Brolin admitted. “If you’re lucky enough to make 100,000 a year, which I wasn’t, then you’re clearing 30,000 after taxes and commissions.” Faced with mounting responsibilities and limited acting income, Brolin turned to stocks to make ends meet.

His gateway into investing came through entrepreneur Brett Markinson, who introduced him to the technical side of the markets. That early mentorship opened the floodgates. “I just started asking him everything,” Brolin said, recalling how his curiosity drove him to learn the ins and outs of trading.

Ironically, it was Brolin’s role in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps that connected him with actual financiers and billionaires. From there, he soaked up conversations about discipline, market psychology, and risk management—key lessons that later paid off.

“I made more money than I had ever made acting for sure,” Brolin revealed. “It wasn’t just because I got lucky with one stock that went to the roof. I was very disciplined in the breaths of upward momentum.” He explained his method: buy when prices fall, sell when they climb—an old-school strategy that required focus and emotional control.

Brolin eventually shifted from day trading to long-term investing. “If you do that, you have to be up at 4:30 every morning and know your basket,” he said. “It’s a full-time job.” While he no longer watches the markets minute-to-minute, he still applies the same level of scrutiny and discipline to his portfolio today.

He may have played a galactic warlord obsessed with balance, but in real life, Brolin was simply trying to balance family, finances, and survival. “I knew I could figure financials out,” he said. “I didn’t do TV for 20 years, so again, for somebody who needs to provide for their family, there was still some version of integrity.”

Turns out, even Thanos had a backup plan—and it involved candlesticks, not infinity stones.

Traders in the house, what do you think about this? Does Thanos have better odds against the Avengers than in the Stocks Market? Let's have it. 

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Fogs
Fogs - 6/4/2025, 4:27 AM
Perfectly traded, as all things should be.
elgaz
elgaz - 6/4/2025, 5:11 AM
@Fogs - I am ......... invested.
BeyondtheFuture
BeyondtheFuture - 6/4/2025, 4:30 AM
These people do realise Google exists right? James Brolin’s kid was never not rich, give me a break. ‘Turned to stock to make ends meet’
theBlackSquare
theBlackSquare - 6/4/2025, 5:07 AM
@BeyondtheFuture - THIS
elgaz
elgaz - 6/4/2025, 5:10 AM
@BeyondtheFuture - I've read a few interviews with him, he was fiercely independent and refused to ask his father for money. James Brolin was also more of a jobbing TV actor in his day than a movie star, I doubt they were as wealthy as we think.
keithv
keithv - 6/4/2025, 6:53 AM
@BeyondtheFuture - Check out his book. I think his dad left before Hollywood starting paying serious paychecks to actors. His parents split up because his mother seemed insane and was very dangerous (she died trying to chase down a lover in her SUV with a rifle next to her). Back in the 70's, actors made the kind of money that we would consider middle class or upper middle class. It wasn't until the late 80's and 90's that actors' paychecks became inflated into the numbers we're used to seeing.
WaffeX
WaffeX - 6/4/2025, 8:03 AM
@keithv - I think Burt Reynolds was the first one who got 5 million for a movie (Smokey and the Bandit)
Robby
Robby - 6/4/2025, 6:03 AM
Best article on the homepage
Divineokpara02
Divineokpara02 - 6/4/2025, 6:29 AM
@Robby - Thank you, really appreciate it 🙏
AgentofSH1ELD
AgentofSH1ELD - 6/4/2025, 7:13 AM
Super excited to see this article. I completely agree with Brolin. If its done correctly there is money to be made but it is another job. I go in spurts (ADD) where I really really watch the market and study the crap out of it. Find some crazy stock, invest and make decent short term gains. Its fun, but you have to have discipline and understand that you should ONLY invest what you are willing to lose.
Only thing I dont believe is that as an actor, he was making under 100k a year... if thats true he is/ was doing something wrong.
WEAPONXOXOXO
WEAPONXOXOXO - 6/4/2025, 8:13 AM
After Trump called out "Tariffs" this caused prices of everything to drop. I bought somethings and I already sold them because they went up again. I don't get greedy. I made 60% more on my investment and got the [frick] out.

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