Emilio Estevez, son of legendary actor Martin Sheen, recently revealed in an interview with The Independent that his father warned him against changing his name in the entertainment industry. Sheen, whose birth name is Ramón Estévez, changed his name to Martin Sheen in 1958 to land more acting roles. Estevez followed in his father’s footsteps, using the Sheen name when he began auditioning for acting roles in Hollywood. However, he recalled that his father had warned him against making the same mistake, saying, “Man, if I had one thing to do over, I never would have changed my name.”
Estevez shared a powerful moment between his father and grandfather while discussing the impact of changing names. In 1967, Estevez’s grandfather Francisco, who was born in Spain, went to see Sheen on Broadway in Frank D Gilroy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, The Subject Was Roses. Upon seeing his son’s new English name on the marquee, Estevez said Sheen watched his father “shake his head in disappointment.” Sheen reportedly never got over that moment and regretted changing his name for the rest of his life.
Martin Sheen has previously shared his own regrets over changing his name. In an interview last year, he explained, “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.” He also revealed that the only influence he had on his son Emilio was to keep his name, but that his second son Charlie, who is famous for his role in Two and a Half Men, took on the Sheen stage name. His real name is Carlos Estevez.
Despite feeling pressure to change his name, Emilio Estevez chose to stick with his birth name. When he started out, his agent was advising him to change his name to Sheen, but he refused. Estevez’s decision turned out to be a wise one as he has had a successful career in the industry without having to change his name. He has acted in and directed many popular films, including The Way, a film he directed and starred in alongside his father.
The Way, released in 2011, depicts Sheen’s character walking the Camino de Santiago after the death of his estranged adult son. Estevez has recently been promoting an upcoming re-release of the film in cinemas across the US, and has been sharing his memories of working on the film with his father.
Through his own experiences and those of his father, Emilio Estevez understands the importance of staying true to oneself and not changing who you are to fit in or succeed in the entertainment industry. He recognizes the pressures people face to change their names or conform to certain expectations, but believes that maintaining one’s identity and individuality is more important in the long run. Estevez’s decision to keep his birth name, despite the pressures to change it, has served him well in his successful career in the industry.
