Martin Sheen
Martin Sheen is an American actor known for playing Captain Benjamin Willard in Apocalypse Now and President Josiah Bartlet in The West Wing.
Apocalypse Now: Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 film follows a U.S. Army captain sent upriver to find Colonel Kurtz during the Vietnam War. Sheen plays Captain Benjamin Willard, whose journey anchors the film.
Francis Ford Coppola: An American film director, screenwriter, and producer known for The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now. Coppola cast Sheen as Willard and directed one of his best-known films.
Dayton, Ohio: A city in southwestern Ohio, historically associated with aviation, manufacturing, and the Wright brothers. Sheen was born in Dayton in 1940.
Political activism: Organized action intended to influence political decisions, institutions, or public opinion. Sheen’s advocacy and civil-disobedience arrests extend beyond his fictional political roles.
Platoon: Oliver Stone’s 1986 war film portrays an American infantry platoon in the Vietnam War. Charlie Sheen, rather than Martin, stars in this major Vietnam film.
The West Wing: An American television political drama created by Aaron Sorkin and broadcast from 1999 to 2006. Sheen’s portrayal of President Josiah Bartlet became the series’ central performance.
Aaron Sorkin: An American screenwriter and playwright known for dialogue-driven works including The West Wing and The Social Network. Sorkin created the series in which Sheen played President Bartlet.
Irish American: An American ethnic identity shaped by migration from Ireland and the histories of Irish-descended communities in the United States. Sheen’s mother was Irish, and Irish identity has figured in his public self-understanding.
Nuclear disarmament: The reduction or elimination of nuclear weapons through unilateral measures, agreements, or international negotiations. Sheen has participated in protests against nuclear weapons and related military policies.
The American President: A 1995 romantic comedy-drama film about a widowed U.S. president, directed by Rob Reiner. Its fictional president offers a contrasting screen portrayal to Sheen’s Bartlet.