Martin Sheen opts out of Charlie Sheen's Netflix documentary, but relationship with his son remains strong.
The recently released Netflixdocumentary about Charlie Sheen, titled aka Charlie Sheen, includes interviews with his former spouses and longtime co-stars but deliberately excludes his father, Martin Sheen, and brother Emilio Estévez. The documentary began streaming on September 10 and opens with a notice explaining that Martin Sheen and Emilio Estévez chose not to take part in the project. This absence was directly addressed within the film when Charlie Sheen was asked about their decision.
Charlie Sheen Explains His Family’s Choice to Abstain
Charlie Sheen expressed understanding about why his father and brother opted not to join the documentary. He said,
“Emilio and Dad, they fully support me. They’re rooting for me in ways you can’t even imagine. But I can’t expect people to revisit all the drug abuse and all the s***** choices that hurt the people I love,”
before adding,
“Would I love them both in this? Absolutely. But I completely understand why they chose not to.”
The documentary focuses on Charlie’s journey through stardom and the difficulties he faced due to addiction. Besides interviews with his ex-wives, Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller, it also features insights from Two and a Half MencreatorChuck Lorre and co-star Jon Cryer. Among family members, only Charlie’s older brother Ramon Estévez, his youngest daughterLola, and son Bob appeared, while Martin Sheen and Emilio Estévez refrained from participating.
Charlie Hopes to Bridge the Gap with His Father
Regarding his relationship with his father Martin, Charlie Sheen expressed hope that Martin would watch the documentary and understand the message behind it. He shared,
“I think it is hard for sons to always share with their fathers what is truly in their hearts,”
continuing,
“I hope he sees some of this as the love letter to him that it is.”
At the conclusion of the two-part documentary, Charlie seemed to dedicate the film to his father after reflecting on their complicated history. He said,
Image of: Martin Sheen
“I can’t imagine being my dad. I can’t even imagine it. We banged heads a lot over the years. We haven’t for a long time,”
and added,
“We came to a place that’s been beautiful. It has been nourishing. If I could put it into one word: gratitude.”
Martin Sheen’s Influence and Past Struggles Revealed
The documentary also touches on Martin Sheen’s personal challenges, recalling his struggles before achieving sobriety. Charlie specifically mentioned Martin’s time filming Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 movieApocalypse Now in the Philippines, where Martin experienced a heart attack after prolonged intoxication on set. Charlie described this moment by saying,
“When we came back to the Philippines and saw him for the first time, he was taking baby steps on a cane,”
and continued,
“And he was crying, and he was devoid of that dad light. It was gone. … He credits me with having a major hand in helping him during his rehab.”
Martin Sheen’s Thoughts on Charlie’s Memoir and Documentary
Prior to the documentary and his memoir release on September 9, Charlie revealed on Good Morning America that Martin was already reading his book. He recounted,
“Dad was, like, halfway through [my book],”
and said Martin described it by noting,
“Your use of humor in your darkest moments is a gift to the reader,”
is how he described it.
Aka Charlie Sheen is currently available for streaming on Netflix, providing an intimate look at the actor’s turbulent life, family relationships, and the path toward reconciliation.
