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.”