Meet Jess Brolin, James Brolin’s Son

Jess Brolin is the son of James Brolin and Jane Cameron Agee. He was born on February 7, 1972, and is currently 52 years old. Jess Brolin was raised on the Brolin family ranch in Templeton, California. Even though most children of celebrities are known to often follow in their parent’s path, Jess Brolin happens to be one of those exceptions.

His parents weren’t forthcoming with details of his childhood in an attempt to give him and his siblings a normal childhood, but as soon as he came of age and tried joining the rest of his family in Hollywood, all bets were off. Here’s what Jess Brolin is currently up to.

Jess Brolin was Born in Los Angeles, California

James Brolin was born in Westwood Village, Los Angeles, California, on February 7, 1972. He is an American of Caucasian ethnicity, and his zodiac sign is Aquarius. He was born into a rather popular family, considering his parents – James Brolin and Jane Cameron, are well-known actors. Even though the family did not remain together as many expected, Jess managed to stay in the limelight in his own way.

He is an alumnus of the University high school of West Los Angeles, class 1958. A lot of folks who knew him while he was young confirmed that he was extremely shy. He would eventually outgrow his shyness with the steady support of his family. That notwithstanding, Brolin had to work hard to make it in show business like the rest of his family.

Jess Brolin’s Parents Were Married for Eighteen Years

Jess Brolin’s father is James Brolin, an American actor, producer, and director best known for his roles in soap operas, movies, sitcoms, and television. James currently boasts of two Golden Globes, an Emmy award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

His mother is James Brolin’s first wife, Jane Cameron Agee. She was a wildlife conservationist who also pursued an acting career. Even though her acting career was not as successful as that of her husband, the Texas-born beauty made appearances in shows such as This Is Your Life, It’s Your Bet and Tattletales.

At the time of Jess’s conception, Josh and Jane were married and had been for six years. They had met on the set of the Batman TV series in the early 1960s while Jane worked as an assistant casting director. They would date for approximately twelve days and get married in the same year, 1966.

They welcomed their first child Josh Brolin in 1968, and their second, Jess, followed a few years later in 1972. However, their union did not last as long as expected because, after eighteen years together, the couple divorced in 1984 when Jess was just 12 years old. They never revealed why they chose to go their separate ways.

Who are Jess Brolin’s Siblings? 

Jess has two siblings; his older brother Josh Brolin was born on February 12, 1968, and is currently 56 years old. Josh is an actor, just like their father. It has been argued in some quarters that he has had more success and visibility than any other member of the Brolin family in Hollywood.

Josh Brolin’s career started in 1984 with primarily insignificant roles. He, however, caught media attention with his role in The Goonies (1985). Other projects he has been involved in include Jonah Hex (2010), True Grit (2010), Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), Men in Black 3 (2012) as a younger version of Agent K, Old Boy (2013), Inherent Vice (2014), Everest (2015), Sicario (2015), Hail, Caesar! (2016), and Only the Brave (2017). He played the role of Thanos in Marvel’s Avengers Infinity Wars and Endgame of 2018 and 2019. This is by far the most notable project he has ever worked on.

The other Brolin sibling is his half-sister Molly Elizabeth Brolin. She was born to James Brolin and his second wife, Jan Smithers, on November 28, 1987, and is currently 36 years old. Molly is a movie producer, an art director, and the last child of James Brolin and Jan Smithers. Her first production was the short movie Royal Reunion in 2011. She also worked on Men in Black 3, John Mulaney, and Royal Hearts.

His Mother Died in a Car Accident in 1995

When Jess was 23 years old in 1995, his mother passed away in a car crash. Despite the divorce, Jane was very close to her kids, and as such, the emotional response that followed after her death was only natural. Jess described dealing with her death as the most difficult period of his life because it took him a period of two years to process what had happened.

After his period of mourning his mother’s death, Jess made an attempt to put his life together with the help of his father. He joined the entertainment industry in 1997, although not as an actor like his father and brother, but as a sound editor. Jess was credited in the 1997 mystery thriller Shadow Dancer. He followed it up the same year by working as an uncredited assistant sound editor in Alex Simon’s action film My Brothers War.

It was pretty clear that his father, who was the director and lead cast of the movie, was trying to bring him into the movie industry by allowing him to work in the sound department of the movie. It seemed his father’s plan was working out when Jess Brolin moved on to become a post-production runner. He worked on a couple of projects which include but were not limited to Running Woman, Enemy Action, and Bring it On.

Jess Received a Huge Inheritance from His Mother’s Estate

Upon Jane’s death in 1995, Jess inherited the trust fund she had set up for him. Soon after he received it, his lifestyle changed dramatically. He took to living lavishly and moved into a very fancy expensive apartment in California, where he paid $800 monthly. His wasteful lifestyle lasted for over a decade, which was as far as his inheritance endured. Since he stopped working in 2002, he blew through his trust fund, and soon enough, the bills started piling up.

He was evicted from his apartment in 2011 when he could no longer pay rent. He moved into a trailer but eventually ended up on the streets. Many ask why his super-rich father and siblings didn’t assist him. This is because Jess has refused any handouts from his family. His dad told reporters that Jess had decided to live a much simpler life, owns few possessions, and is only dedicated to charity and his recycling work. He added that Jess might be the only member of the family that has found the true meaning of life and is fulfilled.

Jess Brolin’s Physique and Weigh Issues

Jess is light-skinned and has a pair of dark brown eyes. He is 5 ft 9 inches tall, and he had a lanky build for the earlier stages of his life. However, as the grief caused by his mother’s demise hit him, he let himself go. He started to gain weight rapidly, which made him look older than his age.

He trimmed down after he started working in Hollywood, but as he left his job and went back to a laid-back lifestyle, he gained weight again. He was last reported to weigh around 414 lbs. Those close to him confirmed that Jess always favored soda and processed foods.

Where is Jess Brolin Now?

Jess Brolin’s current whereabouts are unknown. It was reported sometime in 2018 that he was facing some rather serious health challenges. While it seemed far-fetched that he would be unable to manage his health issues considering the kind of family he comes from, grimmer news soon followed.

Jess was allegedly sighted with sores on his feet that look unkempt. His injuries allegedly looked serious enough that many think he might be at risk of amputation if he does not receive immediate medical attention.