Martin Sheen'S Bold Plea: Why Emilio Kept His True Name

The Sheen-Estevez Connection

While most movie buffs recognize the father-son duo of Martin Sheen and Charlie Sheen, the link to another of Martin's sons, Emilio Estevez, sometimes flies under the radar. Why? Well, it all comes down to the names.

Martin Sheen recently spilled the beans on why he *begged* his eldest son to hold onto his given name rather than adopting a stage name like he did. During a candid chat on the Oct. 31 episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Martin dug into this personal tale.

Embracing the Estevez Legacy

"I remember when my children started coming into the profession," Martin shared, "and they were deciding whether or not to use Estevez. Emilio was on the verge of changing his last name to Sheen."

"Frankly, I begged him to keep it," Martin confessed, revealing his deep desire for Emilio to stay true to his roots.

It took seeing "Emilio Sheen" in print for Estevez to realize it just didn't fit. The decision to stick with Estevez paid off, as he went on to star in iconic films like *The Breakfast Club* and *The Mighty Ducks*.

The Sheen Surname Dilemma

Unlike Emilio, Charlie Sheen chose to follow in his father's footsteps by adopting the Sheen surname. Martin reflected on his own stage name choice, admitting he "deeply regrets" it but understood the pressures he faced when starting out in 1959 New York.

"To have a Hispanic surname at that time was not an advantage," Martin explained, citing the prejudice against the Puerto Rican community.

Yet, Martin has never legally changed his name. "I’m still Ramón Gerard Antonio Estevez," he proudly declared.

Family Ties in Hollywood

Martin and his wife, Janet, have four children, all of whom ventured into showbiz. Besides Emilio and Charlie, their son Ramón and daughter Renée have also embraced the family legacy, predominantly using their real last name.

This heartfelt family story originally surfaced in Parade on Nov 5, 2025. Be sure to check out the original report for more insights.