Emilio Estevez

Emilio Estevez Headshot

Actor • Director • Writer

Birth Date: May 12, 1962

Age: 61 years old

Birth Place: Staten Island, New York

Spouses: Paula Abdul

Partners: Mimi Rogers, Demi Moore

Parents: Martin Sheen

Siblings: Charlie Sheen

Though he was the son of star Martin Sheen, actor Emilio Estevez - who kept his father's given surname to attain success on his own terms - nonetheless benefitted from his family's position. Exposed early on to show business by being on the sets of "Apocalypse Now" (1979) and "Gandhi" (1981), Estevez was more than prepared to make the leap into stardom, which he did following an acclaimed leading performance in the cult comedy "Repo Man" (1984). He soon followed with a string of Gen-X hits, including the cultural landmark teen dramedy, "The Breakfast Club" (1985), directed by John Hughes. Also that year, he starred alongside friends and fellow up-and-comers Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Demi Moore and Ally Sheedy in "St. Elmo's Fire" (1985). The group of actors, many of whom went on to star in other films together, were notoriously dubbed "The Brat Pack" by New York magazine - a stigma that he was forced to endure. Following commercial hits like "Stakeout" (1987) and "Young Guns" (1990), Estevez's career went on a bit of a slide in the 1990s, with the Disney movie "The Mighty Ducks" (1992) as perhaps his most successful as a star. Turning more to directing in the latter half of the decade, Estevez helmed episodes of several top procedural shows while making his long dreamed-of project, "Bobby" (2006), which helped propel his career into a new and exciting direction.

Born May 15, 1962, Estevez was the oldest son of actor Martin Sheen and artist Janet Templeton, and brother to fellow performers Charlie Sheen, Renee Estevez, and Ramon Estevez. The Sheen family relocated from New York to Malibu in 1968, with Estevez spending his childhood hanging out with future stars like Rob Lowe, and Sean and Chris Penn. It was with these close friends that he got his first exposure to filmmaking via a home video camera that the pre-Brat Pack used to make their own films. Though he appeared in an anti-nuclear power short film called "Meet Mr. Bomb" while attending Santa Monica High School, Estevez made his first official screen appearance with a cameo in Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" (1979), which starred his father as a conflicted soldier sent to "terminate with extreme prejudice" a former army colonel gone mad (Marlon Brando). The scene, however, was cut from the theatrical version of the film. But he did continue working with his father, serving as the old man's stand-in on the set of "Gandhi" (1981).

By the early 1980s, Estevez began to delve more seriously into acting. He also made the all important decision to use his father's real last name, rather than his more familiar stage name, thereby avoiding comparisons to dad and charges of nepotism. He earned his first notices as Matt Dillon's best friend for his feature debut in "Tex" (1982). This minor success was followed by the more popular coming-of-age drama, "The Outsiders" (1983), which, like "Tex," was adapted from a novel by S.E. Hinton. As the wise-cracking Two-Bit Matthews, comic relief of the Greasers, Estevez starred alongside such future heavyweights as C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise and Patrick Swayze. Directed by Coppola, "The Outsiders" became a popular hit, thanks in no small part to rabid teenage girls who plastered their lockers with pictures of the Teen Beat cover boys. Moving away from teen melodrama, Estevez cemented his status as a young star on the rise with his next film, the cult sci-fi/comedy "Repo Man" (1984), in which he played a young and rowdy punk schooled in the ways of car repossession by a worldly mentor (Harry Dean Stanton).

Estevez nearly played the lead in an early version of Oliver Stone's "Platoon" (1986), but financing fell through on that film, while five years later, brother Charlie Sheen took on the role that established his career. So instead, he joined the young cast of John Hughes' comedic drama "The Breakfast Club" (1985), which became and remained a cultural touchstone movie for members of Generation X. Estevez played the jock who, along with four other mismatched miscreants (Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy and Judd Nelson), spends the entire day in Saturday detention. While filming "The Breakfast Club," Estevez worked on a script based on another Hinton novel, "That Was Then This is Now" (1985), which he had begun in collaboration with Tom Cruise. The script was purchased by Paramount and was released with Estevez in the lead, but fared only modestly at the box office. Meanwhile, he graduated to college-age roles in his next feature, "St. Elmo's Fire" (1985), which again featured a cast of friends (Lowe) and up-and-comers (Nelson, Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy). The making of the film was profiled in an issue of New York magazine, which dubbed the close-knit group "The Brat Pack" - a label which dogged many of the actors for years.

Estevez attempted to shake the moniker by starring in "Maximum Overdrive" (1986), a horror film directed by author Stephen King in his first and only attempt behind the wheel. Despite the creative pedigree behind the picture, "Overdrive" was savaged by fans and critics alike. Undaunted, Estevez moved forward on his behind-the-camera career. With "Wisdom" (1986), he became the youngest Hollywood star to ever write and direct a film that he also top-billed. Unfortunately, the film - a road movie/romance co-starring his then real-life girlfriend Demi Moore - also tanked at the box office. He bounced back with a grown-up role in "Stakeout" (1987), a breezy comedy-thriller in which he was paired with Richard Dreyfuss, with both playing two Seattle detectives tasked with staking out the home of an escaped convict's (Aidan Quinn) ex-girlfriend (Madeline Stowe). Estevez's easygoing comedic camaraderie with Dreyfuss worked well enough to warrant a sequel, "Another Stakeout" (1993), which unfortunately lacked the sparkle of its predecessor. In the meantime, Estevez continued his hot streak with another considerable hit, the slick gen-X Western "Young Guns" (1988). The combination of old-school shoot-'em-ups and young stars, including brother Charlie, Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips, proved to be a winning combination. Estevez's gleeful portrayal of Billy the Kid, complete with his infectious laugh, was singled out for praise.

Estevez returned to the role for "Young Guns II" (1990), which proved a slightly lesser box office hit. At the peak of his success in front of the camera, Estevez made his second attempt behind the camera, writing and directing the feature comedy "Men at Work," starring his brother Charlie and himself as garbage men who become entangled in the murder of a city councilman. Though greatly maligned at the time, the film later became a minor cult favorite. Estevez stumbled once again with the inert sci-fi action flick, "Freejack" (1992); perhaps the only good thing the project yielded was a lasting friendship with co-star Anthony Hopkins. Disney came calling next with the kiddie comedy "The Mighty Ducks" (1992), a charming sports picture which cast Estevez as a greedy lawyer forced to coach a misfit hockey team. The film was a big hit with children and parents alike; enough to warrant a few sequels. Meanwhile, Estevez - already having been engaged to fellow Brat Packer Demi Moore in 1986 - embarked on a high-profile marriage with pop star, Paula Abdul, in 1992. But the two were quickly divorced two years later, with Abdul citing Estevez's lack of desire to have children as the cause of their split. For his part, Estevez already had children from a previous marriage with model Carey Salley and wanted no part of that with Abdul.

Estevez returned for the first "Mighty Ducks" sequel "D2" (1993) after logging time in yet another dire comedy, the "Lethal Weapon" spoof "Loaded Weapon" (1993), in which he played the Mel Gibson part. When the expected third "Ducks" film was put on the table, Estevez agreed to make a cameo in if the studio would help him finance his next directorial project, a post-Vietnam family drama titled "The War at Home" (1996). Despite excellent performances by Estevez, Martin Sheen and Kathy Bates; generally positive reviews for his direction and scripting; and two ALMA award nominations, the film died a quick death due to poor distribution. Following up, Estevez maintained a low profile as an actor, preferring to focus on developing projects to direct. Aside from an uncredited role in buddy Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" (1996) and several independent features, Estevez was seen mostly on television; first in "A Dollar for the Dead" (TNT, 1998), a solid tribute to spaghetti Westerns, followed by "Rated X" (Showtime, 2000), a biopic of the porn-producing Mitchell Brothers, responsible for "Behind the Green Door" (1972) and other popular adult titles before murder separated them in the early 1990s. The film, co-starring brother Charlie, earned respectable reviews.

Continuing to work steadily on the small screen, Estevez directed several episodes of series television, including such programs as "Cold Case" (CBS, 2003-2010), "CSI: NY" (CBS, 2004-13), "Numb3rs" (CBS, 2004-10) and "Criminal Minds" (CBS, 2005- ). But all was preparation for his next feature, "Bobby" (2006), a labor of love that was filled with high expectations and A-list stars such as Sharon Stone, Lindsay Lohan and Anthony Hopkins. Set against Senator Robert F. Kennedy's assassination at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the California primary in 1968, "Bobby" focused more on the lives of various employees of the hotel before, during and after the tragic events. While preparing the highly publicized film, Estevez and his financers were the subject of a scathing and anonymous 2006 Esquire article which depicted the production as out of control. He was fortunate, however, to have been able to film at the actual hotel, which was demolished a week after filming ended. Despite its high profile, "Bobby" garnered mixed critical reviews while failing at the box office, though it did earn a Best Picture nod at the Golden Globes. Following an episode opposite his troubled brother Charlie on "Two and a Half Men" (CBS, 2003-15), Estevez stepped back behind the camera to make the low-budget coming-of-age drama, "The Way," which was shot in late 2009.

Credits

Billy the Kid: The Silver City Photo

Self
Show
2023

Live with Kelly and MarkStream

Guest
Talk
2023

The Jennifer Hudson Show

Guest
Talk
2022

The Loneliest Boy in the World

Executive Producer
Movie
2022

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers

Actor
Gordon Bombay
Series
2021
87%

The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers

Executive Producer
Series
2021
87%

Talk Stoop's Hispanic Heritage

Guest
Show
2020

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

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2019

The Public

Actor
Stuart Goodson
Movie
2018

The Public

Director
Movie
2018

The Public

Screenwriter
Movie
2018

Daily Blast Live

Guest
Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

Double Feature: The Naughty List and Abominable Christmas

Actor
Show
2013

Home & Family

Guest
Talk
2012

Entertainment Studios.TV

Actor
Show
2012

Dear Dracula

Voice
Mirroe
Movie
2012

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight

Guest
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2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

Talk Stoop

Guest
Show
2010

Il camino

Actor
Movie
2010

Il camino

Director
Movie
2010

Il camino

Writer
Movie
2010

The Way

Actor
Daniel
Movie
2010

The Way

Director
Movie
2010

The Way

Producer
Movie
2010

The Way

Screenwriter
Movie
2010

The Joy Behar Show

Guest
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2009

Chelsea Lately

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Talk
2007

The Better Show

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2007

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

Bobby

Actor
Tim Fallon
Movie
2006

Bobby

Director
Movie
2006

Bobby

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Movie
2006

Close to Home

Director
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2005

Made in Hollywood

Guest
Series
2005

NUMB3RSStream

Director
Series
2005

The L.A. Riot Spectacular

Actor
Officer Powell
Movie
2005

CSI: NYStream

Director
Series
2004

InnerVIEWS With Ernie Manouse

Guest
Show
2004

Tavis Smiley

Guest
Talk
2004

Cold CaseStream

Director
Series
2003

Two and a Half MenStream

Guest Star
Andy
Series
2003
65%

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Guest
Talk
2003

The GuardianStream

Director
Series
2001

Live With Regis and Kelly

Guest
Show
2001

Rated X

Actor
Jim Mitchell
Movie
2000

Rated X

Director
Movie
2000

Sand

Actor
Trip
Movie
2000

Dollar for the Dead

Actor
Cowboy
Movie
1998

Late Last Night

Actor
Dan
Movie
1998

Religion & Ethics Newsweekly

Guest
Show
1997

Access Hollywood

Actor
News
1996

Access Hollywood

Guest
News
1996

Le Monde merveilleux de Disney

Actor
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1996

The War at Home

Actor
Jeremy Collier
Movie
1996

The War at Home

Director
Movie
1996

The War at Home

Producer
Movie
1996

D3: The Mighty Ducks

Actor
Gordon Bombay
Movie
1996

Entertainers: With Byron Allen

Guest
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1994

D2: The Mighty Ducks

Actor
Coach Gordon Bombay
Movie
1994

National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1

Actor
Jack Colt
Movie
1993

Another Stakeout

Actor
Bill Reimers
Movie
1993

Judgment Night

Actor
Frank Wyatt
Movie
1993

Noche Infernal

Actor
Movie
1993

Transferido

Actor
Movie
1992

Freejack

Actor
Alex Furlong
Movie
1992

The Mighty DucksStream

Actor
Gordon Bombay
Movie
1992
23%

Men at WorkStream

Actor
James St. James
Movie
1990
32%

Men at WorkStream

Director
Movie
1990
32%

Men at WorkStream

Screenwriter
Movie
1990
32%

Young Guns II

Actor
William H. "Billy the Kid" Bonney
Movie
1990

Nightbreaker

Actor
Dr. Alexander Brown - Past
Movie
1989

Le Souffle de l'enfer

Actor
Movie
1989

This Morning

Guest
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1988

Young GunsStream

Actor
William H. Bonney
Movie
1988
41%

Never on Tuesday

Actor
Tow Truck Driver
Movie
1988

Stakeout

Actor
Bill Reimers
Movie
1987

Étroite surveillance

Actor
Movie
1987

Asecho

Actor
Movie
1987

Maximum OverdriveStream

Actor
Bill Robinson
Movie
1986
15%

Wisdom

Actor
John Wisdom
Movie
1986

Wisdom

Director
Movie
1986

St. Elmo's FireStream

Actor
Kirby Keger
Movie
1985
42%

The Breakfast ClubStream

Actor
Andrew "Andy" Clark
Movie
1985
89%

That Was Then... This Is Now

Actor
Mark Jennings
Movie
1985

Repo ManStream

Actor
Otto Maddox, Repo Man
Movie
1984
98%

The OutsidersStream

Actor
Two-Bit Matthews
Movie
1983
70%

Nightmares

Actor
J.J. Cooney
Movie
1983

Tex

Actor
Johnny Collins
Movie
1982

In the Custody of Strangers

Actor
Danny Caldwell
Movie
1982

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Host
Series
1975

Today

Guest
News
1952

News aboutEmilio Estevez