Star Wishes He Was Ramon Estévez in Credits

Martin Sheen picked a different stage name when starting out, as did one of his actor sons
By Bob Cronin,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 21, 2022 3:31 PM CDT
Martin Sheen Wishes He'd Stayed Ramon Estévez Onstage
Actor Martin Sheen demonstrates for action against climate change on Capitol Hill in Washington in January 2020.   (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

Martin Sheen's legal name is still Ramon Estévez. "I never changed my name officially," the actor said, though he did change it for acting. "That's one of my regrets," Sheen said, per CNN. "Sometimes you get persuaded when you don't have enough insight or even enough courage to stand up for what you believe in, and you pay for it later," Sheen elaborated to Closer Weekly, adding, "But, of course, I’m only speaking for myself."

While father Francisco Estévez Martinez, an immigrant from Spain, at first wanted him to attend college instead of act, Sheen said he didn't stand in his sons' way when they decided to become actors. In fact, he didn't notice for a while. "I was so self-involved and trying to be a provider that I wasn't aware of their inclination to being actors," Sheen said. Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estévez decided differently when picking a stage name. "The only influence I had on Emilio was to keep his name," Sheen said. "When he started out, his agent was advising him to change his name to Sheen and he wouldn't do it. And I thank God he didn't." (More Martin Sheen stories.)

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