Josh Brolin has revealed that he “almost got into a fight” with Denzel Washington on the set of their 2007 film American Gangster.

The acclaimed crime drama was directed by Ridley Scott, who reunited with Denzel on their highly animated new film Gladiator II.

American Gangster was a fictional account of the rise and fall of gangster Frank Lucas, active in the 1960s and 1970s.

Denzel played the title character and Josh portrayed a corrupt detective in his place, amid an all-star cast including Russell Crowe and Ruby Dee.

Now, Josh, 56, has shared that the heated conflicts that played out on screen were the result of filming that included its share of real-life drama.

He explained that he and Denzel “get along really well now,” but recounted the remark that nearly brought them to blows. Deadline.

Josh Brolin has revealed that he “almost got into a fight” with Denzel Washington on the set of their 2007 film American Gangster, in which they are pictured.

“Denzel was a little late to bed and there was a whole thing going on there. And then he showed me the lines – he didn’t change any of my lines, but he kind of changed the structure of it,” the No Country For Old Men heartthrob said.

“He said, ‘I think I’m going to put this here and I’m going to put this up there.’ But he wasn’t really looking at me,” Josh continued.

Josh found himself “trying to remember the structure, and then we rehearsed,” he said, noting, “There weren’t a lot of lines, mostly mine.”

He recalls: “And I’m supposed to be super confident. It’s Denzel Washington, man. It’s not easy. You’re just this actor they’re trying out, to see if he’s the real one or not. And I forgot a line.

Josh remembered him putting my hand on his shoulder and I said, “What’s the line?” and he hit my hand and said, “Don’t ever lay your hand on me.”

Faced with Denzel’s hostility, Josh said to himself, “Holy shit, I’m going to part ways with Denzel Washington.” It’s crazy.

At that point, Josh felt like he and Denzel were “not actors anymore, at least in my mind.” In his mind, he was just doing his job.

He finally understood that the real situation was quite the opposite: Denzel’s tingling was the result of his temper.

Now, Josh, 56, has shared that the heated conflicts that played out on screen were the result of filming that included its share of real-life drama.

The acclaimed crime drama was directed by Ridley Scott, who reunited with Denzel on their hot new film Gladiator II, which Denzel is pictured promoting this week.

“It was this guy. His name was Frank Lucas, period. But I didn’t know. And then we went through this moment,” the Dune actor explained.

“I said, ‘Are you okay?’ He said, “Yeah. And you ? I said, “Yeah. Can I have my line?” He said, “Go ahead.” It’s like he said what he needed to say.

Josh is promoting his new memoir From Under The Truck, telling the stories of his own career as well as his childhood in Hollywood as the son of actor James Brolin.

He also shared candid stories about his drinking problem, which culminated in his decision to give up alcohol completely in 2013.

Josh shared that on one occasion he asked for a glass of wine, only to be chastised by his mother-in-law Barbra Streisand.

“She said to me: ‘Why would you drink? You’re an alcoholic,” Josh said. The Howard Stern Show. “She was that typical Jewish mother who said, ‘You can’t do this because it will hurt you. You know, you have to eat. You look too skinny.”‘

In his memoir, he revealed that he decided to quit drinking after getting into a fight at a drive-thru in Santa Monica and then waking up in the street.