Josh Brolin has revealed 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 has reunited with Denzel in their lively new film Gladiator II.

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

Denzel played the title character and Josh portrayed a corrupt detective on his way, among a star-studded cast including Russell Crowe and Ruby Dee.

Now Josh, 56, has revealed that the blistering conflicts that played out on screen were the result of a shoot that included its share of real-life drama.

He explained that he and Denzel “get along very well now,” but told the story of the remark that almost caused them to run into each other Deadline.

Josh Brolin has revealed 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 set and there was quite a thing 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’ll put this down and I’ll put that down.” But he didn’t really want to look at me, Josh continued.

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

He recalled: ‘And I’m going to be super safe. It’s Denzel Washington. It is not easy. You’re just this actor that they’re testing, to see if he’s the real thing or not. And I forgot a line.

Josh remembered putting my hand on his shoulder and me saying, “What’s the limit?” and he slapped my hand off and said, “Don’t ever put your damn hand on me.”

Faced with Denzel’s hostility, Josh thought to himself, ‘Holy shit, I’m going to break up with Denzel Washington. This is crazy.’

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

He eventually understood that the real situation was just the opposite – Denzel’s prickliness was the result of him being in character.

Now Josh, 56, has revealed that the blistering conflicts that played out on screen were the result of a shoot that included its share of real-life drama

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

‘He was that guy. He was Frank Lucas, period. But I didn’t know. And then we got through that moment,” the Dune actor explained.

‘I said, “Are you OK?” He said, “Yes. You?” I said, “Yes. Can I have my line?” He said, “Go for it.” It’s like he had said what he needed to say.’

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

He also shared candid stories about his drinking problem, which culminated in his decision to quit alcohol altogether in 2013.

Josh shared that at one point he asked for a glass of wine, only to be admonished for doing so by his stepmother Barbra Streisand.

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

In his memoir, he revealed that he decided to stop drinking when he got into a fight in a Santa Monica drive-thru and then woke up on the street.