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| Martin Sheen |
'...was drawn to acting at a young age, but his father disapproved of his interest in the field. Despite his father's opposition, Sheen borrowed money from a Catholic priest and headed to New York City. It was there that he met the legendary Catholic activist Dorothy Day. Working with her Catholic Worker movement began his commitment to social justice.'
Sheen was apparently also 'the 2008 recipient of the Laetare Medal, an annual award given by the University of Notre Dame for outstanding service to the Roman Catholic Church and society.' The Telegraph today reports that Sheen is praying for his son, Charlie.
'The West Wing star said the actor, who has fought a well-documented battle with drugs and checked into rehab last month, had the backing of his family.
When asked how he was supporting his son, Sheen replied: "With prayer. We lift him up and we ask everyone who cares about him to lift him up, and lift up all those who are in the grip of drug and alcohol abuse, because they are looking for transcendence."
Speaking at the UK premiere of his new pilgrimage film The Way at London's British Film Institute, the 70-year-old - who acted alongside Charlie in the 1987 film Wall Street - said he would be happy to work with him in the future "That would be another miracle and we'd look forward to it, very much so," he said.
In the film - directed by another of his three sons Emilio Estevez - Sheen plays Tom, an American doctor who embarks on the 500-mile Camino de Santiago walk to collect the remains of his dead son.
Sheen said the well-trodden route, from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in the north west of Spain, was a journey worth taking. "I think people are looking for transcendence, particularly in the West. We seek to touch the sacred somehow. I think that's why people use drugs and alcohol, they're looking for some transcendental experience in their lives," he said.
The actor and political activist said the current unrest in the Middle East was "a great reflection of dissatisfaction" - and insisted he was proud of how US president Barack Obama was performing [well, he's certainly a fine actor also, but, on abortion, gay "marriage" etc?].
He continued: "The world's population is nearly seven billion now and most of them are have-nots. We live in the Western world, we don't have any way of measuring that differentiation. The world is hungry and the world is in desperate need of justice, of peace, of harmony, of sharing."
The Way also stars Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt, Canadian actress Deborah Kara Unger, and Estevez, who makes an appearance as the son of Sheen's character.
"We look at this film like a retelling of The Wizard Of Oz," Estevez said. "Martin's character is Dorothy, Nesbitt's is the scarecrow, and they're looking for the wizard - but instead of going to Oz, they're going to Santiago de Compostela."
The Way is in UK cinemas on April 15. Looks interesting...
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