On New Year’s Day 2013, actor Josh Brolin was pulled over and arrested for drunk-driving, and in November of that year he checked himself into rehab.

Clearly, the 46 year old was having some major personal problems then, and the bad times seemed to peak for him after his marriage to actor Diane Lane crumbled.

In an interview with The Guardian, Brolin said he always had addiction problems, and even tried hard drugs at one point. “I tried heroin,” he said. “That sounds so horrible when you put it like that. But yeah, I tried heroin.”

“I mean, I never got into it and never died from it,” Brolin added, “Which is a good thing. I’ve had 19 friends who died. Most of those guys I grew up with, they’re all dead now.”

In addition, the American Gangster actor said his desire to have multiple adventures throughout his life led to his past drinking and drug problems, but now he sees things differently, and chooses to be more imaginative when it comes to seeking out new challenges.

It’s all about keeping himself out of trouble these days, he says.

“I used to think you should try to deconstruct everything. Experience everything. Just get yourself out there,” said Brolin. “But I don’t believe that any more. Having adventures is all very well, but an imagination can make up for all that. That’s the more intelligent way to be, and it keeps you out of harm’s way.”

And believe it or not, the actor who usually plays a lot of tough-guy roles is really a mama’s boy, and that had something to do with his marriage ending, he explained.

But after having a very tumultuous 2013, Brolin said he was able to take a step back and get a good look at both himself and his destructive actions– and now he sees things much more clearly.

“[The divorce] was another turning point,” he said. “It made me think a lot of things. My mom dying when I was in my 20s. All the impact that had on me that I hadn’t moved past; I was always such a mama’s boy.”

Image via Wikimedia Commons