Once Josh Brolin found a fresh source of income outside Hollywood, his acting career took off.

Brolin spent nearly two decades toiling in mostly forgettable roles until he sold his family ranch and became an active stock and real-estate investor, the income freeing him from taking any old acting job.

A flurry of high-profile parts followed in films by Robert Rodriguez, Paul Haggis and Ridley Scott, culminating in a star-making turn in the Coen brothers' "No Country for Old Men" and now the title role as George W. Bush in Oliver Stone's "W."

"I was making my money other ways, so I could say 'No,' and the minute I started doing that, within six months, once I created a hole, it started to be filled with incredible opportunities," Brolin said in an interview. "I mean, really incredible opportunities."