Carlos Irwin Estévez (born September 3, 1965), better known as Charlie Sheen, is an American actor. His character roles in films have included Chris Taylor in the 1986 Vietnam War drama Platoon and Bud Fox in 1987 film Wall Street. His career also made room for more comedic roles, including Jim Abrahams' Hot Shots! and David Zucker's Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 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.

Sheen is widely known for his bad boy image, this due to an accidental overdose, two failed marriages and being listed as #2 on Maxim's "Top 10 Living Legends of Sex", citing an alleged 5,000 women that he has slept with. Sheen is the son of actor Martin Sheen, and the brother of actors Emilio Estevez, Renée Estevez, and Ramon Estevez.

Early life

Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estévez in New York City, son of artist Janet (née Templeton) and actor Martin Sheen (who was born "Ramón Estévez"), who was the son of Mary Ann (née Phelan), immigrant from County Tipperary, Ireland, and Francisco Estévez, a Galician factory worker/machinery inspector from Parderrubias, Galicia, Spain. Martin's mother (Charlie's grandmother) had fled from Ireland during the Irish War of Independence due to her family's connections to the Irish Republican Army. Martin adopted his stage name in honor of the Catholic archbishop and theologian, Fulton J. Sheen, with Charlie also taking this stage name.Stated in interview on Inside the Actors Studio, 2007 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. He also showed an early interest in acting, making several Super-8 films with schoolmates Rob Lowe and early best friend Chris Penn. Just a few weeks before graduation, Sheen was expelled from the school for poor grades and bad attendance.

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 minor and supporting roles in films such as Red Dawn (1984) and Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). He also appeared in an episode of the anthology series Amazing Stories. In 1986 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 Sheen in favor of Tom Cruise. Sheen was never notified by Stone, and only found out when he heard the news from his brother Emilio Estevez. Sheen refused to work with Stone again.