Martin Sheen Opted Out of Charlie Sheen Documentary to Avoid Being ‘Complicit’
Charlie Sheen’s father, Martin Sheen, purposefully chose not to take part in his son’s tell-all documentary to avoid being “complicit” should things not unfold positively.
At a panel event for Netflix’s Aka Charlie Sheen on Wednesday, April 22, director Andrew Renzi spoke about Martin’s absence, sharing, “There was something Martin said specifically that I will always respect, as a father. He mentioned, ‘If this goes sideways, if you do him dirty’ — without actually saying that, because Martin Sheen wouldn’t express it that way.”
Renzi clarified that Martin, now 85, prioritized supporting Charlie, who is 60.
“[He said], ‘If this goes sideways, I need to be able to stand beside my son as I always have. And if I’m involved in this, I can’t, because I will have been complicit in this thing that you created,’” Renzi continued.
Renzi and Charlie acknowledged that some family members, including brother Emilio Estevez, opted out of the project out of respect. Renzi recounted that Estevez, 63, stepped back because he “wanted Charlie to have the project.”
“He felt these were my stories to tell,” Charlie added, while Renzi defended the family’s decision by saying, “If I were in their shoes—without them directly expressing it to me—this is their life they’ve lived for a long time, and there was likely a lot of difficult material they didn’t want to address.”
Despite their absence, Charlie received feedback from his dad.
“[Martin] watched it and loved it. He was laughing, crying, so engaged. He approached me afterward and said, ‘I’m already in it. I’d much rather be young and handsome in this than be this guy right now. You don’t need this old man in your movie,’” Charlie recalled about their first viewing together. “I responded, ‘Well, I disagree with that sentiment.’”
The initial part of the Netflix documentary, which premiered in September 2025, included a note stating, “Martin Sheen and Emilio Estévez declined to participate.” In the documentary, Charlie was queried about their choice to opt-out.
“Emilio and Dad fully support me. They root for me in ways you can’t even imagine. But I can’t expect them to revisit the drug abuse and the poor choices that harmed those I love,” he explained. “Would I love them both to be in this? Absolutely. But I completely understand why they chose not to.”
Aka Charlie Sheen showcased the actor’s ascent to fame and subsequent struggles amid addiction. Interviews were conducted with Charlie’s exes Denise Richards and Brooke Mueller, along with Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre and costar Jon Cryer. Charlie’s older brother Ramon Estévez was the only family member — aside from his youngest daughter with Richards, Lola, and son with Mueller, Bob — to participate.
Charlie expressed hope that his dad viewed the documentary. “I believe it’s often challenging for sons to share their true feelings with their fathers,” he noted. “I hope he recognizes some of this as a love letter to him.”
At the end of the two-part documentary, Charlie seemed to dedicate the project to his father while reflecting on their shared experiences.
“I can’t fathom what it must be like to be my dad. I can’t even conceive it. We’ve had our conflicts over the years, but that hasn’t been the case for a long time,” he concluded. “We’ve reached a place that’s been beautiful. It has been nurturing. If I had to summarize it in one word: gratitude.”
