Charlie Sheen hasn’t been out of the spotlight. Sure, he had his share of controversies in the past. Even of late, his recent antic that only the brilliance of Charlie Sheen could make possible had critics babble endlessly on all angles.
But, through it all, Sheen is still best remembered for being one of the most versatile actors of all time. If one fan were to be asked who Charlie Sheen was, a response would almost always be along the lines of “…that guy from Two and a Half Men” or “…the lead actor for Navy Seals.” The number of different answers will serve to underline just how versatile Charlie is.

What’s your favorite Charlie Sheen Movie?

Since the ’80s, Charlie Sheen has become a household name. While he started his acting career, or showed interest in it, much earlier in his life, he appeared as the juvenile delinquent in a police station in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a 1986 comedy starred in by Matthew Broderick. But his biggest break came when he was cast in the 1986 Oliver Stone hit movie Platoon. Sheen took on the role of a new recruit and served as the film’s narrator. The film was a huge success, and reflected the divided views of the Americans on the war on Vietnam.

Not just some actor

Later on, Sheen showed his prowess as a versatile actor when he teamed up once more with director Oliver Stone for one of the decade’s most critically acclaimed movies, Wall Street. Sheen starred as a budding stock trader eager to get ahead even through extra-legal means. (Sheen will be appearing in a cameo for Wall Street 2 due in 2010.)
Other favorite Charlie Sheen movies that fans can’t get enough of include the hit comedy films Hot Shots and Hot Shots 2, Major League, Money Talks and Scary Movie 3 and 4.

Over the years, Charlie Sheen’s versatility has captured the hearts of millions. With luck, he will stay on as one of the favorites even for today’s generation as more projects roll out for him.

Okay, we’ve covered Charlie Sheen quite a lot lately, and there are still more things to talk about regarding the guy. But, how much about Charlie Sheen do you really know?

Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estévez on September 3, 1965 in New York City to showbiz celebrities Martin Sheen and Janet Templeton. How did he get his screen name? His dad, Martin, adopted the name Sheen in honor of the Catholic archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Carlos Irwin followed suit.

Charlie Sheen showed interest in showbiz at an age when most of us are still deeply into Barney. At the age of nine in 1974, Charlie embarked on an acting career in the television movie The Execution of Private Slovik, right alongside good old dad. In high school, his interest in acting continued on with his buddies Rob Lowe, Chad Lowe and Chris Penn. As he continued to pursue his acting career, his school had to expel him just a few weeks before graduation for ‘poor grades and bad attendance.’

Charlie and his parents are not the only ones in the family who have an inclination to entertain. Charlie’s siblings Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez and Renée Estevez all shared the same spotlight.

In the past, Charlie became involved in a string of controversial relationships that cost him his credibility. Among the unfortunate events then was when he accidentally shot his then-fiancé, Kelly Preston, in the arm, ending their relationship afterwards.

Here are some more interesting trivia on Charlie Sheen from IMDB.com:

• Was born a ‘blue baby.’ The doctor who saved him was named Irwin and his parents named him after the doctor.
• He fought constantly with older brother Emilio Estevez.
• He was a good student but then let his grades slip when he skipped school in high school to play baseball.
• He had dreams of pitching for a baseball team.
• Listed as one of twelve “Promising New Actors of 1986″ in John Willis’ Screen World, Vol. 38.
• Was considered for Tom Cruise’s role in Born on the Fourth of July (1989).
• His first film with George Clooney stayed unreleased because of FX problems.

Throw in the swanky shirts he wears as a Two and a Half Men co-lead, and you’ve definitely got to love Charlie Sheen for staying cool and popular after all these years.

As if all the good stuff is not enough for Charlie Sheen, he’s up for a cameo return for Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps. Yes, you’ve got that right. The unforgettable Bud Fox, played by Sheen in the original Wall Street some 22 years back, will be reprised in the sequel.

No swanky shirts and humor as dry as a neat martini from Sheen here – just a short and sweet cameo in a role that we remembered him for way back in the late ’80s, when the original Wall Street movie was all the rage. There is pretty much no other insider information for now – this is just about everything we know, and as director Oliver Stone has revealed in an interview.

Sheen made a name for himself in the first Wall Street as a budding stockbroker, eager to get to the top in the cutthroat game of stock trading. In a desperate attempt to snag Michael Douglas’ character Gordon Gekko as a client, Sheen went out of his way and did something that has been proven to land corporate giants in jail: Reveal insider information to Gekko to turn a major deal to his advantage.

Wall Street 2 will include a lineup of A-list stars, including Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko, rising star Shia LeBeouf as greenhorn trader and lead character Jake Moore. LeBeouf’s character is also the fiancé of Gekko’s daughter, played by Carrey Mulligan. Susan Sarandon plays the mother to Shia’s character. Also in the film are Josh Brolin and Frank Langella. Shooting begins this week in New York, and the movie is scheduled to be released in April of next year.

What is yet to be confirmed, a number of fans of the original Wall Street are also eagerly hoping for a special cameo role by Martin Sheen as Bud’s dad.

Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps is an apt title for Sheen’s comeback, and for his continuing success on and off screen. If money does sleep for Sheen, that’ll be the day.