Charlie Sheen an American Icon ?

American actor Charlie Sheen, born Carlos Irwin Estevez in 1965, has led quite an interesting life and career over the years. His father, Martin Sheen, is also no exception with roles on the hit TV show The West Wing and in the movie Apocalypse Now. While Charlie Sheen is known today for starring in both TV shows Two and a Half Men and Spin City, he’s also had quite a few roles in some top grossing films of our days. These include Red Dawn, Platoon, and The Rookie as well as others. His film career piqued in the mid to late ‘80s with much help from his role as Bud Fox in Wall Street in 1987; “Life all comes down to a few moments. This is one of them.” Little did he know how true these words would be. In the early ‘90s Sheen drifted into smaller film roles including things like documentaries and a few cameos. He was also listed as the executive producer in the film The Chase in 1994.

Sheen’s film and television career may be a successful one, but the same can’t really be said for most of the rest of his life. He accidentally shot his then-fiancée in 1990, which he had a daughter with. Needless to say that relationship ended. In the ‘90s, he gained publicity for dating pornographic actresses. Any publicity is good publicity, right? Maybe this is true for your career but definitely not your health. These short term relationship run-ins led Sheen to shooting up cocaine in the late ‘90s leading to an accidental overdose and a ticket to rehab issued by his father. A few years later in 2002, he tried to settle down with actress Denise Richards and they eventually had two kids. But, a Hollywood marriage is apparently only a four year commitment as Richards filed for divorce and made it final in 2006. She claimed Sheen had picked up drugs again and started abusing alcohol as well as threatening abuse. With the two young girls, Richards played the best move she could think of.

Sheen remarried in 2008 but was again charged and this time arrested for domestic violence and menacing against his new wife. He plead guilty to the list of charges and served some jail time as well as anger management classes and a second trip to rehab.

Sheen may have had his moments of insanity, but he undeniably attributed to same of the most famous films of the ‘80s and ‘90s. It’s unfortunate that the fame of Hollywood could have contributed to his struggles, but the film and television industry wouldn’t be the same without his wit and charm. Here’s to you Charlie Sheen!