Josh Brolin was inspired to take acting seriously by the tragic death of his mother.

The "W." star - whose father is legendary Hollywood actor James Brolin - said his mother Jane Cameron Agee's fatal car accident in 1995 made him give some serious consideration to the direction his life was taking.

He said: "When my mother died it brought it all home, magnified everything. 'What do I want to do? Where do I want to go?'"

"It made me appreciate how fragile life was. I didn't know where I was going. I had a healthy fear of looking back on my life and thinking, 'Have I done enough? Am I proud of what I've done?'"

The 40-year-old "No Country For Old Men" actor - whose first major acting role was in 80s classic "The Goonies" - also revealed his famous father and stepmother - singer Barbra Streisand - didn't stop him having a normal upbringing.

He added: "Only now has my profile risen. But I don't have a mob following me."

"As children we were removed from the fame because our nearest neighbor was a mile down the road. I didn't experience my dad's fame until I left home."

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