Josh Brolin recalls brutal childhood memory of his father making their family eat his pet pig

Josh Brolin recalled a “horrible” time growing up when his dad, James Brolin, slaughtered his pet pig and forced their family to eat it.

During the actor’s recent appearance on Graham Bensinger’s “In Depth” podcast, the journalist brought up a story James had previously told him about how he and his son had eaten “some of the best ribs” they’ve ever had.

“Did he tell you the pig story?! What a f–king d–k! God, man,” the “No Country For Old Men” star expressed in surprise.

Josh Brolin recalled his dad, James Brolin, feeding him his pet pig. WireImage Josh described having two pet pigs called Oink and Snort growing up. Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images James shares Josh with ex-wife Jane Cameron Agee, who died in 1996. Getty Images

He then dived into “the horrible story” of him raising two pigs called Oink and Snort.

“I helped raise these pigs and we’re eating dinner one night and my dad — it’s amazing to me that he would tell you this story, it makes him look so bad — but he said, ‘Guess what you’re eating? […] Either Oink or Snort.’”

When a much younger Josh questioned him, his dad said, “Yeah, that’s what we’re eating. That’s who we slaughtered.”

Josh, now 56, wondered why a parent would ever say something like that to their kids “with any semblance of celebration.”

After eating ribs as a family, James revealed to Josh that he had slaughtered one of his pigs and cooked it. Getty Images “It’s amazing to me that he would tell you this story, it makes him look so bad,” he told Graham Bensinger. WireImage

“I think he was making to look an impact,” he pointed out. “Psychologically? On camera? In front of you? I mean, I could get into it.”

“When you feel like you don’t have an impact, that’s when you start to look for any impact, whether it’s a negative impact or not,” he continued. “I think I can break it down to it being that, because I can’t imagine saying that to my kid. It’s nowhere in my universe to say that to a kid. Why would you?”

When Bensinger asked if they had ever talked about the incident, the “Deadpool” actor told him they had.

However, he went on to compare his dad to a red light, explaining, “My dad’s an interesting guy in that he’s super friendly, but there’s a stop sign. It’s like, before you get on the freeway, there’s a red light. You’re ready to go. You’re ready to get on the freeway and go 65, 75 miles an hour, and the light never turns.”

Josh believed his dad told the story “to make an impact.” Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images Josh also talked about his complicated relationship with his dad, comparing him to a red light. FilmMagic

He added, “So you’re sitting there like this and you’re like, ‘It’s presented to me that I’m gonna go.’ And then the stoplight never changes — it just stays perpetually red.”

The “Amityville Horror” actor welcomed Josh with casting director Jane Cameron Agee. The two were married from 1966 to 1984 before she died in 1996.

Aside from Josh, the 84-year-old actor also shared son Jess, 52, with Agee. He also shares daughter Molly, 37, with ex Jan Smithers and has been married to Barbara Streisand since 1998.

“The stoplight never changes — it just stays perpetually red,” he said about his dad. Getty Images James has gone on to marry Barbara Streisand while Josh is married to Kathryn Boyd Brolin. Getty Images

For his part, Josh recently admitted to having a nicotine pouch in his mouth at all times — even at bedtime — to deal with his own battles.

“I have a pouch in my lip, and I’m not f–king lying, 24 hours a day,” the “Goonies” actor, who is married to Kathryn Boyd Brolin, said during an episode of Marc Maron’s “WTF” podcast earlier this month. “Then I started taking them out and putting them on the bedside table.”

He told listeners that his addiction is so extreme that he will even pack a lip when he’s unconscious, saying, “I don’t even know I’m doing it, I’m asleep.”

Josh speaks more about his relationship with his dad and his struggles with addictions in his memoir, “From Under the Truck,” out now wherever you find books.