Charlie Sheen recalled being replaced by Tom Cruise in the 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July and how he felt betrayed after director Oliver Stone didn’t inform him about the decision.
Speaking on In Depth With Graham Bensinger, the 60-year-old actor shared he was only able to get an answer after he and Stone got into the same bar and were tipsy enough to talk:
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?’
Losing the project was a huge deal for Sheen, and hearing Stone’s explanation must have left him dumbfounded. He already had meetings with the director and the real Sergeant Ron Kovic, so he was expecting to be locked in for the role.
Charlie Sheen Felt Betrayed After Being Replaced By Tom Cruise
Sheen was evidently devastated after learning he was dropped from the film without so much as a notice. The worst part was that he heard the news from his brother, Emilio Estevez. In his interview with Playboy, he admitted feeling hurt by the betrayal (via THR):
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.’
These days, Sheen is no longer dwelling on what could have happened had he secured the role. He didn’t sign a contract, so he really didn’t lose anything. He also refused to talk negatively about Cruise, who bagged an Oscar Best Actor nomination for his performance in the movie.
Sheen instead appeared in three films the same year Born on the Fourth of July came out, namely Tale of Two Sisters, Major League, and Never on Tuesday.
Tom Cruise Was A Better Choice Due to His Hollywood Star Power
Stone was very fond of Cruise, as Sheen mentioned, but the most probable reason why Cruise ultimately won the role is his massive star power. He appeared in 1983’s Risky Business and 1986’s Top Gun, both movies cementing his legacy as a Hollywood heartthrob.
Even though Sheen didn’t get the role, he still had a great roster of films and television shows in the ‘90s and early 2000s. Unfortunately, he was not able to sustain his career due to his struggle with substance addiction and abuse allegations.
Movie:Born on the Fourth of JulyDirector:Oliver StoneRelease Date:December 20, 1989Rotten Tomatoes:84%Box Office Earnings:$161 million
Would you rather have Sheen play the lead role in Born on the Fourth of July? Let us know in the comments!
Born on the Fourth of July is currently available to watch on Apple TV.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
