Charlie Sheen

Charlie Sheen (born Carlos Irwin Estévez ; September 3, 1965) is an American actor recognized for his breakout roles in the films Platoon (1986), where he portrayed a young soldier in Vietnam, and Wall Street (1987), as an ambitious stockbroker. Born in New York City to actor Martin Sheen (born Ramón Estévez) and artist Janet Templeton, Sheen, the second-youngest of four siblings, adopted his stage name early in his career while following his family's path into acting, debuting in minor roles before gaining prominence in the 1980s.

Sheen's television success peaked with his portrayal of hedonistic jingle writer Charlie Harper on Two and a Half Men (2003–2011), for which he earned up to $1.8 million per episode, making him the highest-paid actor on television at the time, though his tenure ended abruptly when he was fired due to chronic substance abuse, erratic on-set behavior, and public attacks on the show's creator Chuck Lorre. This dismissal followed a 2011 public meltdown fueled by heavy drug use, during which Sheen gave bizarre interviews boasting of "tiger blood" and being "winning," alongside claims of superior intellect and Adonis DNA, exacerbating his professional downfall.

In November 2015, Sheen publicly disclosed his HIV-positive diagnosis, which dated back to 2011, explaining that he had paid millions to individuals attempting to blackmail him over the condition to maintain privacy until tabloid threats forced his hand; his physician confirmed at the time that Sheen's viral load was undetectable due to treatment compliance. Sheen's life and career have been defined by cycles of acclaimed performances, legal troubles stemming from addiction and domestic incidents, and attempts at redemption, underscoring the consequences of unchecked personal excesses in Hollywood.

Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estévez on September 3, 1965, in New York City. His father, Martin Sheen (born Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez), was an established actor known for roles in films and theater, while his mother, Janet Templeton, had worked as an artist and former New York art student.

Sheen was the youngest of four children in a family with strong ties to the entertainment industry; his older siblings included brothers Emilio Estévez (born May 12, 1962) and Ramon Estévez (born August 7, 1963), as well as younger sister Renée Estévez, all of whom pursued acting careers.

In 1970, the family relocated from New York City to Malibu, California, following Martin Sheen's Broadway performance in The Subject Was Roses , which provided greater opportunities in Hollywood. Sheen spent much of his childhood in this coastal environment, where his parents' professional pursuits exposed him and his siblings to film and television sets from an early age, fostering an early familiarity with the industry.

Sheen, born Carlos Irwin Estévez on September 3, 1965, in New York City, relocated with his family to California during his childhood, where he attended Santa Monica High School. At the school, he demonstrated athletic talent as a star pitcher and shortstop on the baseball team, alongside classmates including Robert Downey Jr., Rob Lowe, and Sean Penn. His academic performance, however, was subpar, marked by poor grades and irregular attendance.

In addition to sports, Sheen developed an early interest in acting and filmmaking, influenced by his father Martin Sheen's career; he made his screen debut at age nine as an extra in the 1974 television film The Execution of Private Slovik , starring his father. During high school, he pursued this passion by producing amateur Super 8 films with his brother Emilio Estévez and friends, foreshadowing his professional trajectory.

A few weeks before his scheduled graduation in 1983, Sheen was expelled from Santa Monica High School due to his academic deficiencies and attendance issues, forgoing formal completion to focus on acting opportunities.