Martin Sheen

Shining the Spotlight on Social Causes

In this compelling speech, Martin Sheen discusses his passion for activism and its necessary place in today’s political, humanitarian and social arenas. Unabashedly outspoken on issues such as nuclear weapons and the treatment of the homeless in the United States, Mr. Sheen gives a voice to those who need it most. He shares the reasons behind his actions and explains the importance of being able to express a deeply personal, deeply moral opinion and be held accountable.

Social Activist and Star

Star of television’s The West Wing and social activist, Martin Sheen has been a prolific performer since the late 1960s. He landed his first major role on Broadway in The Subject Was Roses, which later became a movie. A young, intense leading man, he has played over 70 roles, many of which were in well-known films such as Apocalypse Now, Badlands, Wall Street, The American President, Gandhi and Catch Me If You Can, to name a few. His most recent films include the Academy Award-winning movie The Departed; Bordertown and Bobby, a film written and directed by his son, Emilio Estevez. Martin Sheen is also no stranger to politics, both professionally and in real life. He has played U.S. President John F. Kennedy in the mini-series, Kennedy: The Presidential Years; Robert F. Kennedy in Missiles of October; The White House Chief of Staff in The American President; and is perhaps best-known as President Josiah Bartlet in the acclaimed television drama The West Wing, for which he received a Golden Globe award. Martin Sheen is also known for his robust support of political causes and has remained a staunch activist throughout his life.

Family Man 
Martin Sheen and son, actor/filmmaker Emilio Estevez, published a memoir in 2012 entitled, Along the Way.  In this remarkable dual memoir, Sheen and Estevez recount their lives as father and son. In alternating chapters—and in voices that are as eloquent as they are different—they tell stories spanning more than fifty years of family history, and reflect on their journeys into two different kinds of faith.