Josh Brolin Was Stabbed in Costa Rica in 2013, Shares Scary Details in Memoir
“She’ll talk to the kids about what I loved most about them, about what they meant to me."
Published Nov. 23 2024, 2:32 p.m. ET
If you are in a book club, Josh Brolin's memoir should be your next read.
The Marvel actor wrote about his upbringing as the son of John Brolin, his struggles with drugs, and his career revival thanks to a string of blockbusters and Oscar-nominated films.
However, his resurgence almost never happened. In one of the chapters, Josh shared details about a near-death experience that took place in Costa Rica in 2013, when he was in the Central American country with his now-wife, Kathryn Boyd.
Josh was stabbed but luckily, survived the ordeal. So, what happened, and who stabbed the No Country for Old Men actor?
Josh Brolin and wife Kathryn.
Josh Brolin was stabbed by a stranger in Costa Rica in 2013.
In his memoir, From Under the Truck, which was released in November 2024, Josh wrote about a stabbing he experienced but has rarely spoken about.
According to Josh, a stranger asked him for money or a cigarette while he was in Costa Rica with Kathryn, and out of nowhere he was stabbed.
He went on to share that the stab wound was near his belly button, so luckily none of his vital organs were punctured.
"The umbilical ligament is the densest ligament in the body and it slowed the knife down enough to stop it from hitting any vitals," he wrote.
As he was waiting for the ambulance he called his ex-wife, Alice Adair, with whom he shares two kids — son Trevor and daughter Eden.
"'I know what to do, but you’ll be fine’," Alice told Josh.
He continued, "She’ll talk to the kids about what I loved most about them, about what they meant to me, and how I know they’ll grow into a future that they can feel proud of, and not spiral into shame because of."
Luckily, Josh had a full recovery and he went on to star in Guardians of the Galaxy the following year. Josh also went on to marry Kathryn in 2016 and the couple has gone on to welcome two daughters of their own, Westlyn and Chapel.
“I will have lived a lifetime of children and that’s wonderful to me,” Josh said in 2021. Kathryn went on to add, "I’ve seen him morph into this new father figure and immediately fall into this beautiful place caring for this new baby. He’s naturally so happy around children."
Kathryn Brolin with daughters Westlyn and Chapel.
Overall, this stabbing is just one of the emotional anecdotes in Josh's memoir.
"The book was a living, breathing thing that I tried to not get in the way of,” Josh told Variety. "Is it the most accessible thing? No. But I was very open and held myself to a certain standard that I tried to stay true to... I realized this book is 1,000% what it wanted and needed to be."