Born in 1940, this actor is best known for his lead role in the 1979 film Apocalypse Now and for his portrayal of fictional President Josiah Bartlet in the Aaron Sorkin original series The West Wing. In total, the actor has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards and eight Golden Globes. Martin Sheen is also celebrated for his political activism and has been involved in many acts of nonviolent protest throughout his life. He has been arrested 66 times in total.
Sheen was born with the name Ramón Antonio Gerardo Estévez and later changed it in an attempt to gain more acting-related work. Sheen is a brother to ten siblings, and during his birth was crushed by forceps, making his left arm three inches shorter than his right. Against the will of his father, Sheen wanted to pursue acting from a young age. The prolific performer ultimately succeeded in his goal and now has over 250 acting credits. Here are the very best Martin Sheen movies, ranked.
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7 The Subject Was Roses (1968)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
This film was released in 1968, directed by Ulu Grosbard, and written by Frank D. Gilroy. The film tells the story of a man returning home from World War II. After gaining confidence and valor for his wartime commitments, he is greeted with a deteriorating home life and a tense relationship between his mother and father. Starring alongside Sheen are Patricia Neal and Jack Albertson. The film won Albertson an Oscar, Neal an Oscar Nomination, and Sheen a Golden Globe nomination.
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6 The Dead Zone (1983)
Paramount Pictures, De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
The Dead Zone is a 1983 film directed by David Cronenberg, and based on a novel that was originally written by Stephen King. The film follows Johnny Smith, who is played by Christopher Walken, as he awakens from a coma and discovers he has gained psychic powers. Martin Sheen plays a pivotal supporting role in this film as the character Greg Stillson. Stillson is a third-party candidate running for the U.S. Senate. After the main character interacts with Stillson, he sees a future in which the Senator initiates a preemptive nuclear strike. This in turn pushes Johnny to attempt to assassinate Stillson. The film received mostly positive reviews and went on to receive a Saturn Award for Best Horror Film.
5 Catch Me If You Can (2002)
DreamWorks Pictures
This film landed Christopher Walken an Oscar nomination and an additional nomination for the film’s musical Score. Other stars of this movie include Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, and of course, Martin Sheen. The movie is directed by Steven Spielberg and is based on the autobiography of Frank Abagnale Jr. The story tells the tale of Young Frank, a con artist, and forger who successfully passes as a doctor, lawyer, and pilot, all while being tracked down by the FBI. Sheen’s role in this film is not incredibly prominent, but it is noteworthy. He plays the father of a woman that Frank is interested in. His strong and powerful character serves as a worthy adversary for Frank and helps to make the narrative more engaging.
4 The Departed (2006)
Warner Bros.
The classic 2006 crime-thriller The Departed is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson, with Martin Sheen playing an important role as the character Queenan. The movie tells the tale of two men living double lives, one who is an undercover police officer infiltrating an Irish-American organized crime syndicate and the other being a mole in the police force working with organized crime. Martin Sheen’s character is a police captain who is the undercover officer’s contact. Sheen puts on a thrilling and realistic performance, helping the film to gain one Oscar nomination and four Oscar wins.
3 The Way (2010)
Producers Distribution Agency
The Way is a light, heartfelt, and funny story of a father who travels to the Pyrenees mountains after finding out his son died while attempting to complete a long-trekking pilgrimage known as the Camino de Santiago. The film stars Martin Sheen, who shares the screen with his son, Emilio Estevez, who also directed the film and developed the screenplay. Martin Sheen originally suggested to his son that the lead should be played by Michael Douglas or Mel Gibson, but Emilio stated that he wrote the role specifically for his father. Martin Sheen’s connection to the production of the film really shows, the dialogue flows well and gives Sheen the perfect words for a lovable character.
2 Badlands (1973)
Badlands is a 1973 film that was both written and directed by Terrence Malick. The movie stars a young Martin Sheen alongside Sissy Spacek, known well for her roles in In The Bedroom, The Help, and Carrie. The film tells the story of a girl from a small town who falls for a young man with a taste for adventure. The two end up on the run after a series of impromptu murders. This film has a little bit of everything: crime, drama, action, and romance. The writing, direction, location, and pacing all help to make this film great. But what really seals the deal is the performance of Martin Sheen. The character he plays is a cool, burned-out, all-American type, whose moral code lies somewhere between ambiguous and non-existent. The film is well worth the watch and is a must-see for fans of Martin Sheen.
1 Apocalypse Now (1979)
Paramount Pictures
This American classic was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and written by John Milius, Francis Ford Coppola, and Michael Herr. The story is loosely based on the 1899 novel Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad. The story follows a United States Army officer, who is tasked with killing a defected Green Beret, who has been carrying out his own missions against the Viet Cong. Martin Sheen stars as Captain Benjamin L. Willard, the man tasked with hunting down the rebel defector. He acts alongside Marlon Brando, who plays Colonel Walter E. Kurtz and Robert Duvall, playing Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore. The incredibly well-written story is packed full of action, suspense, and wonderful performances by the stars of the film. The film was nominated for six Oscars and won two.
