Countdown of Our Talent’s Best On-Screen Moments

Charlie Sheen was in fact born Carlos Irwin Estérez and is the youngest son of esteemed actor Martin Sheen (also a stage name.) He first started making films in high school with his friends Sean Penn and Rob Lowe, both of whom have also gone on to have successful acting careers.

After making his name in the movies in the 80s and 90s, Sheen moved away from cinematic spectacle in favour of some roles on the small screen. Most famously, he played the starring role of Charlie Harper, a hedonistic jingle writer, in Two and a Half Men, as well as starring in more than 100 episodes of Anger Management.

It was film, however, where he cut his teeth, and we’ve rounded up some of Charlie Sheen’s best movie roles.

Platoon

One of the many films made about the Vietnam War, Platoon stands out because of its anti-war message, and Platoon won the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director in 1986. In it, Charlie Sheen plays Chris Taylor, a soldier confronted with the horrible realities of war. Rather than being a jingoistic tale of camaraderie, the film explores how relationships can break down under extreme stress and draws on the experiences of writer Oliver Stone, who fought in Vietnam.

Major League

In complete contrast to Platoon, Major League is a comedy sports film which centres on an underdog story. Sheen’s character of Ricky Vaughn is an ageing baseball player who is recruited to the Cleveland Indians baseball team in an attempt to make attendance at matches fall below a certain level so the team’s scheming owner can sell it.

The team of washed up baseball stars eventually triumphs over adversity and it’s a feel-good film that’s very much of its time.

Wall Street

Also of its time was the 1987 film Wall Street, released at the height of the consumerist and capitalist haven that was the 1980s the film is now seen as the archetypal portrayal of the decade, with one character famously declaring that “greed is good.” It charts the story of a young broker, Bud Fox, who is taken under the wing of an older Wall Street veteran, Gordon Gekko played by Michael Douglas. In the film Bud’s morals eventually triumph over his desire to make money for a happy ending, and it’s become a real classic in the intervening years. In 2010, Sheen and Douglas reunited to shoot a sequel, which was also well received.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

One of the other iconic films of the 1980s was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a story of a teenage boy who decides to bunk off school for the day and have fun. It’s not a film in which Sheen has a starring role – he only really appears in passing – but it’s nonetheless a great film to have on your showreel. In it, Sheen gives some words of wisdom to Ferris’ sister and apparently stayed up for 48 hours prior to shooting the scene, to give himself the right look for the part.

Book Charlie Sheen with one of our Agents

An iconic actor, Charlie Sheen has been part of Hollywood royalty for more than 30 years, and his insights into the industry are sure to fascinate anyone who’s a fan of films. He’s available to book for speaking engagements and public appearances as well as product endorsements, so if you’d like to find out more about booking Charlie Sheen through MN2S talent agency, get in touch today.