Martin Sheen

The American actor Martin Sheen, whose real name is Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez, was born on August 3, 1940, in Dayton, Ohio, USA. He became known for his role as Captain Willard in Francis Ford Coppola's film 'Apocalypse Now' (1979).

After Martin Sheen initially performed on theater stages and played only minor supporting roles in films, Francis Ford Coppola offered him the lead role in 'Apocalypse Now'. Coppola had originally cast actor Harvey Keitel in the role, but was dissatisfied with the actor's performance shortly after filming began. This gave Martin Sheen his chance.

Throughout his career, Martin Sheen has appeared in numerous films, such as 'The Departed' (2006) in the role of Cpt. Oliver Queenan, 'Catch Me If You Can' (2002) as Roger Strong, and 'Gandhi' (1982) as Vince Walker.

He is also famous for his role as President Bartlet in the American television series 'The West Wing' (1999–2006). The popularity gained through this series brought significant attention to Sheen's public criticism of US President George W. Bush. Martin Sheen is also very committed to environmental protection and is known as a supporter of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.