Josh O’Connor Admits Being Overwhelmed Filming Opposite Josh Brolin
There’s been a lot of quiet buzz around Josh Brolin lately, but it’s actually his presence on set that has sparked a memorable story from one of his co-stars. Josh O’Connor has now opened up about just how nerve-wracking it was to film alongside Brolin during the making of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery , and the way he tells it feels refreshingly honest and relatable.
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O’Connor, best known for The Crown , plays Reverend Jud Duplenticy in the upcoming mystery. The film already boasts a stacked cast, with names like Daniel Craig, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, and Mila Kunis attached. Even in a room full of heavyweight talent, it was admitted that sharing scenes with Josh Brolin felt especially intimidating. From the start, the pressure was felt deeply.
One key moment stands out. In an early scene, Jud arrives at a new parish and meets Brolin’s character, Monseigneur Jefferson Wicks. What follows is a long, explicit, and darkly comic confession from Wicks, designed to unsettle the new priest. On paper, the scene was described as brilliant and sharply written. In reality, it became a test of nerves for O’Connor, especially since it was the first scene he ever filmed with Brolin.
To make things even more daunting, Brolin had joined the production later than the rest of the cast, reportedly coming straight from another major project. O’Connor has said that Brolin is one of his favourite actors in the world, and that admiration only made the nerves worse. While Brolin’s performance was delivered effortlessly and with confidence, O’Connor felt himself struggling to match that energy.
It was eventually admitted that the scene didn’t quite land on O’Connor’s side. Time ran out, the pressure built, and the discomfort lingered. That night, a difficult decision was made. O’Connor reached out to director Rian Johnson and asked if there was any chance his coverage could be reshot. It was explained that Brolin’s performance had been so strong that being overwhelmed had made it impossible to fully settle into the moment.
Thankfully, the request was understood. Johnson, known for putting his actors first, allowed the scene to be revisited. With the pressure eased and confidence regained, the moment finally came together. O’Connor has since said that the finished scene is something he’s truly proud of, while admitting that the earlier version would never have impressed anyone.
In the end, it’s a story that highlights both Josh Brolin’s commanding screen presence and the vulnerability that even accomplished actors like Josh O’Connor still feel. Sometimes, being overwhelmed is simply part of creating something memorable.
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