Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen
Sheen in March 2009
Born	Carlos Irwin Estévez September 3, 1965 (1965-09-03) (age 45) New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1974–present
Spouse	Donna Peele (1995–1996) Denise Richards (2002–2006) Brooke Mueller (2008–2010)

Carlos Irwin Estévez (born September 3, 1965), known professionally as Charlie Sheen, is an American actor. His character roles in films have included Chris Taylor in the 1986 Vietnam War drama Platoon, Jake Kesey in the 1986 film The Wraith, and Bud Fox in 1987 film Wall Street. His career also included more comedic films, such as Major League, the Hot Shots! films, and Scary Movie 3 and 4. On television, Sheen is known for his roles on two sitcoms: as Charlie Crawford on Spin City, and as Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men.

Early life

Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estévez in New York City, the youngest son and third of four children born to actor Martin Sheen and artist Janet Templeton. Martin adopted his stage name in honor of the Catholic archbishop and theologian, Fulton J. Sheen, with Charlie also taking this stage name.^[1] His parents moved to Malibu, California after Martin Sheen's Broadway turn in The Subject Was Roses. Sheen has two brothers and one sister, all of whom are actors: Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez, and Renée Estevez. Sheen attended Santa Monica High School in Santa Monica, California, where he was a star pitcher and shortstop for the baseball team.^[1][2] He also showed an early interest in acting, making several Super-8 films with his brother Emilio, schoolmates Rob and Chad Lowe, and early friend Chris Penn. Just a few weeks before graduation, Sheen was expelled from the school for poor grades and bad attendance.^[3]

Career

Sheen started acting in 1974 at the age of nine, appearing in a small role alongside his father in the television movie The Execution of Private Slovik. Sheen's film career began in 1984 with a role in the Cold War teen drama Red Dawn with Patrick Swayze, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, and Jennifer Grey. Sheen and Grey reunited in a small scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). He also appeared in an episode of the anthology series Amazing Stories. Sheen had his first major role in the Vietnam War drama Platoon (1986). In 1987, he starred with his father in Wall Street. Both Wall Street and Platoon were directed by Oliver Stone; however, in 1988, Stone approached Sheen about starring in his new film Born on the Fourth of July (1989), only to later re-cast Tom Cruise in place of Sheen. Sheen was never notified by Stone, and only found out when he heard the news from his brother Emilio. Sheen did not take a lead role in Stone's subsequent films,^[4] although he does have a cameo role in Stone's sequel to Wall Street.

In 1987, Sheen was cast to portray Ron in the unreleased Grizzly II: The Predator, the sequel to the 1976 low budget horror movie Grizzly. In 1988, he starred in the baseball film Eight Men Out as outfielder Happy Felsch. Also in 1988, he appeared opposite his brother Emilio Estevez in Young Guns and again in 1990 in Men at Work. Also in 1990, he starred alongside his father Martin Sheen in Cadence as a rebellious inmate in a military stockade and Clint Eastwood in the buddy cop action film The Rookie.^[1] The films were directed by Martin Sheen and Eastwood, respectively. In 1992, he starred in Beyond the Law with Linda Fiorentino and Michael Madsen. In 1997, Sheen wrote his first movie, Discovery Mars, a direct-to-video documentary revolving around the question, "Is There Life on Mars?" The next year, Sheen wrote, produced and starred in the action movie No Code of Conduct.^[5]

Sheen appeared in several comedy roles, including the Major League films, Money Talks, and the spoof Hot Shots! films. In 1999, Sheen appeared in a pilot for A&E Network, called Sugar Hill, which wasn't picked up. In 1999, Sheen played himself in Being John Malkovich. He also appeared in the spoof series Scary Movie 3 and follow up Scary Movie 4. In 2000, he was cast to replace Michael J. Fox on the sitcom Spin City;^[6] the series ended in 2002. In 2003, Sheen was cast as Charlie Harper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, which followed the popular Monday night time slot of Everybody Loves Raymond. Sheen's role on Two and a Half Men was loosely based on Sheen's bad boy image.^[7] Sheen appears as Dex Dogtective in the unreleased Lionsgate animated comedy Foodfight.^[5]

Political views and activities

Charitable activities

Sheen was the 2004 spokesperson for the Lee National Denim Day breast cancer fundraiser that raised millions of dollars for research and education regarding the disease. Sheen stated that a friend of his died from breast cancer and he wanted to try to help find a cure for the disease.

A major donor and supporter of Aid For AIDS since 2006, Sheen was honored with an AFA Angel Award, one of only a few ever given, at the non-profit's 25th Silver Anniversary Reception in 2009.^[8] In addition to his financial support, he has volunteered to act as a celebrity judge for several years for their annual fundraiser, Best In Drag Show,^[9] which raises around one-quarter of a million dollars^[10] each year in Los Angeles for AIDS assistance.^[11][12] He has brought other celebrities to support the event, including his father, actor Martin Sheen.^[13] Sheen's interest in AIDS was first reported in 1987 with his support of Ryan White -- an Indiana teenager who became a national spokesperson for AIDS awareness after being infected with AIDS through a blood transfusion for his hemophilia.^[14][15]

Sheen also launched a clothing line for kids, called Sheen Kidz, in 2006.^[16]

September 11 attacks

On March 20, 2006, Sheen stated that he questions the US government's account of the September 11 attacks.^[17] Sheen said during the interview that the collapse of the World Trade Center towers looked like a controlled demolition.^[18] He urged critics not to attack him personally, but to challenge him on the facts.^[19]

Charlie Sheen has since become a prominent advocate of the 9/11 Truth movement.^[20] On September 8, 2009, Sheen appealed to US President Barack Obama to set up a new investigation into the attacks. Presenting his views as a transcript of a fictional encounter with Obama, he was characterized by the press as believing the 9/11 commission was a whitewash and that the administration of former US President George W. Bush may have been responsible for the attacks.^[21][22][23]

Personal life

Sheen and his then girlfriend, Paula Profit, had a daughter, Cassandra Jade Estevez (born December 12, 1984).^[24] In 1990, Sheen accidentally shot his then-fiancee, Kelly Preston,^[25] in the leg; the minor wound needed two stitches. The relationship ended shortly thereafter.^[26] In 1995, Sheen married Donna Peele. The marriage lasted a little more than a year, from September 3, 1995 to November 19, 1996.. Sheen was named as one of many clients who visited brothels owned by Heidi Fleiss in her court case in 1995.^[27] When questioned about this, Sheen responded "I love sex and I can afford it". Sheen's long-term relationship with former pornographic actress Ginger Lynn in the late 1990s garnered much media attention.^[25] He was also involved for a time with former pornographic actress Heather Hunter.^[25]

On May 20, 1998, Sheen tried injecting cocaine, accidentally giving himself an overdose. He was hospitalized, but discharged from the hospital soon afterward. His father Martin issued a public appeal for fans to pray for him and reported him for violation of parole. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and Sheen was sent to rehab.^[28][29]

On June 15, 2002, he married actress Denise Richards after meeting her while filming Good Advice in 2001. They have two daughters, Sam J. Sheen (born March 9, 2004)^[30] and Lola Rose Sheen (born June 1, 2005).^[31] In March 2005, while she was still pregnant with their daughter Lola, Richards filed for divorce from Sheen, accusing Sheen of abusing drugs and alcohol and threatening Richards with violence.^[32] Sheen and Richards' divorce was made official on November 30, 2006.^[33] Sheen and Richards were engaged in an acrimonious custody dispute over their two daughters,^[34] but have since made peace with each other, with Sheen stating in April 2009 that "we had to do what's best for the girls."^[35]

On May 30, 2008, Sheen married Brooke Mueller, a real estate investor.^[36] This was the third marriage for Sheen and the first for Mueller.^[37] The couple's twins, Bob and Max, were born on March 14, 2009.^[38]

Sheen was arrested on charges of domestic violence, including second-degree assault and menacing, against Mueller on December 25, 2009.^[39] He was released from jail after posting an $8,500 bond.^[40][41] In a court appearance on February 8, 2010, Sheen was formally charged with felony menacing, and third-degree assault and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors.^[42] On August 2, 2010, Charlie Sheen plead guilty to misdemeanor assault as part of a plea bargain where the other charges against him were dismissed, and according to a story written by Associated Press reporter Solomon Banda he was "sentenced to 30 days in a rehabilitation center, 30 days of probation, and 36 hours of anger management." As this conviction stemmed from a domestic violence charge made by his wife, Brooke Mueller, Sheen will fall under the Lautenberg Amendment, which means that he will be barred from possessing guns for the rest of his life.^[43]

In February, 2010, Sheen announced that he would take a break from Two and a Half Men to voluntarily enter a rehab facility. CBS expressed support.^[44] The decision to check himself into the facility for treatment followed his wife's treatment in a different rehab facility. Sheen's rehabilitation was considered "preventive."^[45] In March, Sheen's press representatives announced that he was preparing to leave rehab and return to work on the popular sitcom.^[46] On May 18, 2010, Sheen signed an agreement to return to the sitcom for another two years for a reported $1.78 million per episode.^[47]

Awards and honors

In 1989, Sheen, along with John Fusco, Christopher Cain, Lou Diamond Phillips, Emilio Estevez, and Kiefer Sutherland, was honored with a Bronze Wrangler for their work on the film Young Guns. In 1994, Sheen was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard.^[48] For his work on the political sitcom Spin City, Sheen gained two ALMA Award nominations and won the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy.^[49] Sheen also won an ALMA Award, gained three Emmy Award nominations, and two Golden Globe award nominations^[49] for his role in the sitcom Two and a Half Men.

Filmography

Films

Short films

Television

References

External links

• Charlie Sheen biography at CBS.com - Two and a Half Men
• Charlie Sheen at the Internet Movie Database
• Charlie Sheen at TV.com