Charlie Sheen Got Director Drunk to Learn Why He Lost Role to Tom Cruise
The actor reveals how he finally discovered the real reason Oliver Stone replaced him with Tom Cruise in the $161 million blockbuster Born on the Fourth of July during a boozy bar encounter.
Charlie Sheen has opened up about the painful experience of losing a major movie role to Tom Cruise, revealing that he had to get director Oliver Stone intoxicated just to find out why he was dropped from the 1989 war drama Born on the Fourth of July.
During an appearance on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, the 60-year-old actor described how he finally confronted Stone about the casting decision that left him feeling betrayed and confused. The conversation only happened after both men had enough drinks to lower their guard.
A Drunken Confession Reveals the Truth
Sheen explained that the pivotal conversation took place in a bar, where alcohol loosened both their tongues enough to address the elephant in the room. Stone's explanation was brutally honest but left the actor stunned.
"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?'"
The revelation was particularly painful for Sheen, who had already invested time in the project, including meetings with both Stone and the real-life Ron Kovic, the Vietnam veteran whose story the film tells.
The Sting of Being Replaced Without Warning
What made the situation even more hurtful was how Sheen learned about his replacement. Instead of hearing directly from Stone, he found out through his brother Emilio Estevez. This lack of professional courtesy left deep wounds that took years to heal.
In a previous interview with Playboy, Sheen expressed his disappointment with how the situation was handled. "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.'"
The reference to "two wars" likely refers to their previous collaborations on Platoon and Wall Street, making Stone's silence even more surprising to the actor.
Tom Cruise's Star Power Made the Difference
While Stone cited lack of passion as his reason, the reality was probably more complex. By 1989, Cruise had already established himself as a major box office draw with hits like Risky Business and Top Gun. His star power likely made him the safer commercial choice for the ambitious project.
The decision proved financially sound, as Born on the Fourth of July went on to earn $161 million worldwide and earned Cruise his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. The film also won Stone his second Academy Award for Best Director.
Despite the disappointment, Sheen kept busy in 1989, appearing in three films including Major League, Tale of Two Sisters, and Never on Tuesday. However, none of these projects carried the prestige or box office potential of Stone's war drama.