“Couldn’t even call me and say, ‘I’ve changed my mind?’”: Charlie Sheen Felt Cheated On When Tom Cruise Stole $162M Movie Role – After Director Personally Assured Sheen’s Casting
Anyone would recognize Charlie Sheen as the star of the American sitcom Two and a Half Men. Although he was dropped after the eighth season, the actor is undeniably the star of the show. His departure had been a consequence of his deteriorating mental health due to alcoholism and substance abuse. Apart from all of that, the actor once opened up about the time he was snubbed from a movie role. He had a good relationship with director Oliver Stone as they worked on Platoon in the 80s together. But despite that, Stone ended up offering a role he had promised to Sheen over to Tom Cruise. This naturally left the sitcom star betrayed. Moreover, a point to be noted is his career may have been much different if he had gotten the role. Successful or not, it would have been totally different for sure.
Charlie Sheen Was Snubbed of a Movie Role By Oliver Stone Once
Back when Charlie Sheen was not a big name in the sitcom scenario, he was a big Hollywood star in the making. One of his best works is undeniably in the 80’s movie Platoon. In fact, he left the director of the movie Oliver Stone so thrilled that he was promised another big role soon. It could have been the start of an amazing journey, much like that of Brad Pitt, and Jake Gyllenhaal to name a few. However, unfortunately, things did not go that way.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sheen was promised a role in Born on the Fourth of July. And Stone had said their relationship was going to be similar to Scorsese and De Niro. But as everyone knows by now, the role was taken up by Tom cruise. This was obviously a blow to Sheen, as he felt betrayed and cheated on. Moreover, it was not even Stone who broke the news directly. The sitcom actor revealed,
“But here was a crucial point for both of us, and he couldn’t even call me and say, ‘I’ve changed my mind?”
Sheen did mention that he did not feel any hurt personally. But when it came to his career, what happened was not something he deserved.
What Do Critics Have to Say About the Million-Dollar Role?
Charlie Sheen opened up that he was the first choice for Born in Fourth of July before Tom Cruise took it over. Although his career was starting out well with the 80’s Platoon, one movie critic thinks Cruise was the right choice nevertheless. According to Jim Emerson, at the time the Top Gun actor was a much bigger name than Sheen. And to ensure the success of a movie, it was important that someone who was more well-liked by the audience take the lead role.
While another critic named Caryn James thinks Sheen was just as much a big star at the time. His role in Platoon was evidence that it was going to work out for him in the industry.
Source: The Things
