Charlie Sheen Reveals How He Lost Out to Tom Cruise

Charlie Sheen has spoken candidly about the time he was passed over for a major role in the 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July, with Tom Cruise ultimately taking the lead. Sheen, now 60, described feeling blindsided when director Oliver Stone didn’t let him know about the casting change, only learning about it through his brother Emilio Estevez. The actor recently shared the story of how he finally got an explanation from Stone, and it took a night out and a few drinks for the truth to come out.

How Sheen Discovered the Truth

During an appearance on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, Sheen recalled that he and Stone ended up at the same bar, both a bit worse for wear, which finally led to an honest conversation. According to Sheen, Stone told him,

I was drunk enough and he was drunk enough for that thing to finally be brought up. And he was like, ‘I just felt like you didn’t have any passion for it. I felt like you lost interest.’ I was like, ‘Well, I didn’t see you. How do you know how much passion I lost or interest that evaporated if we never talked about it again?’

Sheen had already met with Stone and the real Ron Kovic, the Vietnam veteran whose story the film tells, so he’d assumed he was a shoo-in for the part.

Feeling Let Down by Oliver Stone

Sheen admitted the experience left him gutted, especially since he’d expected a bit more respect from Stone after working together previously. The news came as a shock, and the fact that Stone didn’t call him directly stung the most. In a chat with Playboy, Sheen said,

I wouldn’t have cared if Oliver had called me personally, based on what we’d been through. We fought two wars you know. But here was a crucial point for both of us, and he couldn’t even call me and say, ‘I’ve changed my mind.’

Despite the disappointment, Sheen didn’t hold a grudge against Cruise, who went on to earn an Oscar nomination for his performance.

Tom Cruise’s Star Power and Sheen’s Next Moves

Stone’s fondness for Cruise was well known, but it was likely Cruise’s status as a box office draw that sealed the deal. By the late ‘80s, Cruise had already made a name for himself with hits like Risky Business and Top Gun, making him a bankable choice for the role of Ron Kovic. Sheen, meanwhile, kept busy, appearing in three films the same year: Tale of Two Sisters, Major League, and Never on Tuesday.

Although Sheen didn’t land the part, he went on to have a solid run in both film and television throughout the ‘90s and early 2000s. However, his career later took a hit due to well-publicised struggles with substance use and allegations of abuse.

Born on the Fourth of July’s Success

Born on the Fourth of July, directed by Oliver Stone, was released on 20 December 1989. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning $161 million at the box office and holding an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Cruise’s performance as Kovic was widely praised, and the film remains a standout in his career. For those keen to revisit the film, it’s currently available to stream on Apple TV.