Ramón Gerardo Antonio Estévez (born 1940), better known by his Stage Name as Martin Sheen, is an acclaimed American actor, best known for his portrayal of President Jed Bartlet on The West Wing, which earned him several Emmy nominations, a Golden Globe, and two SAG Awards. He has one Emmy, for, of all things, a guest appearance on Murphy Brown in the early 1990s.
Prior to The West Wing, Sheen had a lengthy career in film and television, with his most famous role undoubtedly being the lead in Apocalypse Now. Other notable parts include The Subject Was Roses, Badlands, The American President (an earlier Aaron Sorkin work where he played the White House Chief of Staff character instead of the President) and The Departed. He also voices (and supplies the appearance of) The Illusive Man of the Mass Effect series. He's set to play Uncle Ben in the Spider-Man reboot.
Sheen is also known as the father of a number of other actors, most notably Charlie Sheen (who, alone of his siblings, makes use of his father's stage surname) and Emilio Estevez. He has appeared with his children in a couple of films, most notably as Charlie's father in Wall Street. His daughter Renee Estevez has a recurring minor role on The West Wing as the president's secretary.
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- Actual Pacifist
- Cool Old Guy
- Celebrity Resemblance: in Badlands with Alain Delon young.
- John F. Kennedy: Is one of a couple actors to have played both John (in the miniseries Kennedy) and Robert (In the TV movie The Missiles of October) Kennedy.
- Life Imitates Art: Averted; despite repeated entreaties, he has turned down attempts to get him to run for public office in Real Life, saying that despite playing one on TV, he really doesn't have the experience for that sort of thing. Though this hasn't stopped him from being a prominent liberal activist.
- Sheen specifically rejected the idea of becoming President as he is a pacifist and thus sees himself as unsuited to being Commander-In-Chief.
- Playing Against Type: Usually portrays father-figures, mentors, or morally-upstanding politicians. But in the Mass Effect series he plays the scheming Magnificent Bastard, The Illusive Man, head of the pro-human terrorist organization known as Cerberus.
- Named After Somebody Famous: His stage name is a tribute to Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.
- Real Life Relative: As noted above, has made numerous appearances in his children's projects.