One of the moments that finally broke through his denial came when he arrived hungover at the deathbed of his 99-year-old grandmother. The experience forced him to confront the shame and destruction that his addiction had caused.

His stepmother, Barbra Streisand, also refused to allow him to hide behind excuses. Her tough love helped him recognize his alcoholism for what it was and pushed him toward taking responsibility for his life.

Eventually, Brolin achieved sobriety and began looking at aging differently. Rather than fearing growing older, he came to see it as a privilege he had once been in danger of losing.

At 56, he viewed every additional year as proof that he had chosen life over the chaos that once seemed normal. His story became less about the difficult childhood and addiction that nearly consumed him, and more about survival, confronting painful memories, and earning a second chance.