Fame can do a lot to a person. It can help them transform into the person they've always dreamt of becoming or lead them down a path of self-destruction. Emilio Estevez straddles a line in between the two. Being born into a screen-savvy family certainly plays a part in shaping one's future, and Estevez picked up the family trade with ease. The "Brat Pack" member has a list of classic films he can be proud of, but some things keep him from the spotlight and tucked away in the shadows. It's been a while since we've all heard from him, let's refresh your memory before diving into the reasons why he's been missing in action.
A Famous Family Tree
Emilio Estevez has some famous relatives. He's the oldest son of Martin and Janet Sheen. As for his brothers, you might've heard of them. His siblings are Ramon Estevez, Renee Estevez, and Charlie Sheen. Thanksgiving must be a real riot.
He also is uncle to Cassandra Sheen while Francisco Estevez and Mary Ann Estevez are his grandparents. All at the tallest heights of their careers, this family tree could have starred in a blockbuster film with no supporting cast.
Not only was his family famous, but he had some stars as friends when he was young too...
Friends With The Stars Since Childhood
Imagine as a teenager, you were friends with others who would go on to be some of the biggest movie stars to date? That's what life was like for a young Emilio Estevez, as he was close with Chad Lowe, Chris Penn, Rob Lowe, and Sean Penn.
As teens, this crew began acting for their own entertainment. They would also write and produce movies on home video cameras. We suppose it was in the stars for them to be in entertainment.
A Brat Pack Original
Remember the Brat Pack? The "Brat Pack" was the name given to a group of teens who would act in the same movies during the '80s. These films were mostly coming-of-age, which is why the Rat Pack consisted of mostly young actors and actresses.
Emilio Estevez was one of the original members that included a star-studded group. Along with him were the likes of Rob Lowe, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Michael Hall, and Demi Moore.
He Was An Extra In THIS Movie
Believe it or not, but Emilio Estevez had scenes in the popular film Apocalypse Now. Oh, you don't remember seeing him? That's because they ended up cutting his parts from the movie.
He was only an extra, but clearly, there was something that didn't sit well with the producers. Had they kept him in it, we would have seen him get saved by Laurence Fishburne before sinking in the quicksand. We feel that's something audiences would have enjoyed.
Have you ever worked in a professional setting with a sibling?
He's Worked With His Brother Before
Imagine having a sibling in the same profession as you. Now, think about what it would be like to be able to work with them. Emilio Estevez doesn't have to wonder because he's shared the screen with brother Charlie Sheen multiple times.
They were both in a slew of films together. A few to mention are Young Guns, Badlands, Rated X, Wisdom, and Men At Work. Estevez also showed face in his brother's smash sitcom, Two and a Half Men as a guest star.
The Man Makes His Own Wine
With a recent boom in the legal cannabis industry, we've seen a significant uptick of celebrities who are starting their own farms. It's a lucrative business, so we don't see why not. Another avenue that many get into is wine.
Emilio Estevez makes his own wine. At his former Malibu home, he had a vast vineyard. What do you do when you have your own vineyard? You make wine. He sold the estate in 2016 for $6.35 million.
Engaged With Demi Moore
Spending a considerable amount of time with someone of the opposite gender is a tricky game. Especially if the environment is in Hollywood, and you both have an extended level of freedom. Emilio Estevez and Demi Moore shared many moments together being apart of the Brat Pack.
Once they met on the set of St. Elmo's Fire in '85, they instantly had the hots for each other for the next two years. They even became engaged but never got around to tying the knot.
He Is Well-Traveled
Some people develop interesting perspectives about life, based on how they earned their education. Public schools generally teach the same curriculum around America, while private schools tend to go down a less traditional route. Some think schooling isn't needed, like Estevez.
The actor spent a lot of his life traveling the world and seeping into different cultures. That's certainly a way to learn. "I spent a lot of my life traveling, and I knew that's where I got most of my education, not in school," he said.
A Lonely Job
With there being so many professions in the world, they can't all be inviting. Sure, acting has its perks, and being something like a doctor will make things worthwhile while you're on the clock, but what about writing?
According to Estevez, putting pen to paper isn't something for those who like being around others. "Writing is a lonely job unless you're a drinker, in which case you always have a friend within reach," Estevez said.
Don't Google Yourself
We don't all have the pleasure of being a famous celebrity, so perhaps this next bit of information is only for those select few. Since its conception, Google has slowly become the largest search engine there is. It probably knows more about you, then you.
Estevez suggests that people don't Google their own name. As we said, this probably only applies to other socialites: "I used to Google my name to see what came up – it hurt."
Now that we've refreshed your memory, we'll detail why he seemingly doesn't exist in the spotlight anymore...
No More Television
While his siblings Charlie and Martin Sheen both got a second career wind on the TV screen, the same cannot be said for Estevez. The oldest sibling shied away from television, even during an era when on-demand streaming plays a significant role, allowing fans to watch their favorite shows whenever they please.
Estevez appeared in both of his brother's shows, but most of his TV-related tasks have been behind the scenes. He's directed multiple episodes of Cold Case, CSI: NY and Numb3rs.
New Purpose From His Brother
There's no debate that Charlie Sheen emerged from his talented group of siblings as the most well-known. Sadly, these days he's become more infamous than famous. Sheen's struggles with addiction and financial woes have been very well-documented to the public eye.
Due to this, Estevez feels he must act as a healthy example for his plagued sibling. "All I can do for Charlie, and I can't live his life for him, is to try to be an example," Estevez told ABC News.
Family Woes
It's never easy when a close family member has health issues that require surgery and things of that nature. That's what Estevez and his siblings had experienced around the time his film The Way was released in 2015. His father had to go through quadruple bypass surgery, so he took the time to write an open letter to his fans.
"The decision to operate on his heart was a proactive one, not an emergency situation," he wrote. "Not surprisingly, he is recovering beautifully, out of the ICU and is expected to not only be home for Christmas but be 100% by the time he returns to work."
He Doesn't Care About Celebrity
There aren't many, but there are some celebrities who don't care about being famous. Estevez happens to be one of those people. He's seen his name in the tabloids in previous years over issues with his past flings, Paula Abdul and Demi Moore. They had headlines that he was a "partier" and a "womanizer."
He confidently denied any allegations, but it got to the point of exhaustion. "That's not my bag … what young man has not gone out and had a few drinks?" he asked The Guardian.
Keeping Behind The Scenes
Something that's bound to keep people out of the limelight is when they're focused on things that don't require a lot of attention from others. Estevez really planted his feet on the ground to helm several popular TV shows.
His pinnacle moment came in 2006 after his biopic Bobby was nominated for a Golden Globe. He told The Guardian that it was meant to be "a call to action and re-engage" on a political level. One of his latest directed feats came in 2018 with The Public, a drama about Cincinnati librarians.
No Reunions For Estevez
Some stars love reunions. For example, you can't go long without seeing the news that the cast of Friends was out and about having some fun. Estevez is no Chandler Bing. He's been more on the opposing side when it comes to linking back up with old castmates.
Nearly every one of the Breakfast Club co-stars has shown up to at least one of the milestone anniversary get-togethers. Esteves, on the other hand, hasn't appeared to any of them.
He Doesn't Even Keep In Touch
Estevez is so far removed from The Breakfast Club members, he doesn't keep in touch anymore. That's saying a lot considering the film is a classic and loved by so many people.
Alum Molly Ringwald shed some light on the situation in an interview saying: "The only person I don't see is Emilio Estevez. He won't really have anything to do with anything having to do with [the film] … He's just like, 'That's the past, and that's not really what I want to do."
His Kids Are Coming Into Their Own
Having kids and balancing a famous lifestyle can be tough. Estevez doesn't do it. His extra energy goes towards supporting his up and coming children, Taylor Levi Estevez and Paloma Rae Estevez.
Taylor is a stuntman in Hollywood and served as an executive producer on The Way. Meanwhile, his daughter Paloma is a professional drummer. She's gathered quite a nice fanbase and even contributed to her dad's productions, including The Way. Raising superstars isn't easy!
Estevez Wants THIS City To Be The New Hollywood...
Well, this is odd. Hollywood has been the place for stars for as long as anyone can remember. Why on earth would anyone want to change that? A better question is, why would Estevez want the new celebrity hub to be in Cincinnati?
"Cincinnati itself, it's just a magical place," he added. "I feel very at home there. When I go back there, people say, 'Welcome back. Welcome home.' … Back in L.A., I'll talk to people about Cincinnati and they kind of roll their eyes. They say, 'Cincinnati? What's there?' I say, 'You know what, come visit me here.'"
The Split
They say nothing lasts forever, but was this just a hit and run? Only two years and 11 days after getting married, the couple split. "It's with tremendous reluctance and great sadness that I’ve taken this action," said Abdul.
Why the two called it quits remains a mystery, but they still have the utmost respect between each other. “I have nothing but admiration, love and respect for Paula,” he said in his statement. “I’m sorry we weren’t able to come to a different conclusion.” Failed love can change a man.
He's Been Making Movies For A Long Time
Emilio Estevez started making movies from a very young age. Early on he became friends with Chad Lowe, Rob Lowe, Chris Penn, and Sean Penn. The group worked together to write, direct, and star in their own movies using their own cameras.
We have no idea how good these amateur movies may have been, but we would love to watch a few them. Estevez, and all of them, have come a long way since their early, more playful days.
Bobby Was A Passion Project
One of Emilio's greatest passion projects was the film Bobby. The movie told the story of Robert Kennedy and featured a cavalcade of stars including Lindsay Lohan, Laurence Fishburne, and Anthony Hopkins.
Even though he had star power behind him, Estevez didn't have a lot of studio confidence. The film was independently financed and he spent a lot of his own money. And by a lot, we mean he used almost all the money he had to make Bobby.
He Didn't Get Along With Charlie Growing Up
While Emilio Estevez may be spending a good portion of his time these day trying to be a good influence on Charlie Sheen, that wasn't always the case. Growing up together the two brothers constantly fought.
As far as we know these fights never got physical, but they were enough to cause an early rift between them. At the end of the day, however, family matters, and Emilio understands that better than most.
He Was On Set For Apocalypse Now
When he was just 14-years-old, Emilio went with his father on location to shoot Apocalypse Now. Estevez doesn't appear in the war classic, but that doesn't mean he didn't get his hands dirty on set.
Sure enough, Emilio did shoot some scenes that were supposed to be in the film but got cut. We're sure it wasn't the last time he had scenes cut from movies. It's actually a pretty regular practice in Hollywood.
He's Played Son To His Father On Screen
In the heartbreaking film The War At Home Emilio Estevez actually played the role of Martin Sheen's son. He also played his father's son in The Way. Both films were written and directed by Estevez, so it's no surprise he cast his famous father.
Charlie has also spent time in Hollywood playing his father's son. One example is Spin City. We guess they really just like to keep their careers as familial as possible!
The Reason He Goes With Estevez
You might it odd that of everyone in his famous family, Emilio is the only one that goes by the last name Estevez. Sure enough, when it came to starting out in Hollywood, Emilio could have chosen the name Sheen, but decided he didn't want to ride his dad's coattails.
The move worked out we would say. Estevez has created a distinguished career that included acting, writing, and directing that stands alone, even if he has worked with his father several times.
He Wasn't Cast As Andrew Originally
These days it would be impossible to think of any other actor playing Andrew in The Breakfast Club, but it almost happened. When Esteves was cast, he was supposed to play Bender.
When it came time to cast Andrew, producers couldn't find anyone they liked. Of course, they had other options for Bender, but didn't want to lose Estevez. To make it all work, they made the switch, and we're all better off for it.
He Made His Big Screen Debut In Tex
After making several appearances in television shows, Estevez made his big screen debut opposite Matt Dillon in Tex. The movie is about two brothers dealing with their father abandoning them after the death of their mother..
The movie was based on a book by S.E. Hinton, and it wouldn't be the last time Estevez acted in a property associated with the author. Shorty after Tex came out, he signed on for The Outsiders.
The Outsiders
One of the most iconic films of Emilio Estevez's career is The Outsiders. Based on the novel by S.E. Hinton, the film introduced the world to the next generation of Hollywood stars, and Estevez was included in that pack.
Other future stars in the film were Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, Ron Lowe, and C. Thomas Howell. Francis Ford Coppola directed the film, which is considered a minor classic today.
His First Feature As Director
Almost as quickly as he became a star, Emilio Estevez wanted to get behind the camera. He was able to do so for the first time in 1986 with Wisdom. The film followed a felon and his girlfriend traveling cross country to rob banks.
Wisdom was universally panned by critics when it came out and was a financial disaster. Just as quickly as Estevez became a director, it looked like he might never work behind the camera again.
Stakeout Saved His Career
After flopping with Wisdom, Emilio Estevez took a break from directing and starred in Stakeout. The comedy followed two detective working a case when one of them falls in love with the target.
Stakout co-starred Richard Dreyfus and was a huge hit. Eventually a sequel would come out, Another Stakeout, but it woudn't have quite the same impact as the original. Estevez's big hit was followed by another one one year later - Young Guns.
Perhaps His Most Famous Role
For as far as he had come in his career, perhaps Emilio Estevez's most famous role came in 1993 when Disney released The Mighty Ducks. The film, which was panned by critics, was popular enough to spawn three sequels and an NHL franchise.
That's right, if you're an NHL fan, now you know that the Anaheim Ducks were originally named the Might Ducks, which was 100 percent a tie-in to the movie!
He Almost Didn't Appear In D3
By the time Disney wanted to make D3: The Might Ducks, Emilio Estevez had zero interest in returning to the franchise. He wanted to turn his attention to more dramatic roles, and also wanted to get back behind the camera.
When Disney asked him to cameo in the third film in the series, he cut a deal with them. He agreed to be in the children's film if the studio would help him finance his next directorial effort, The War at Home.
The War At Home
Emilio Estevez finally got to direct his third film, The War at Home, thanks to Disney. The company also agreed to distribute the movie under its more adult-oriented Buena Vista Banner.
Unfortunately, when the movie came out it was unsuccessful, only earning $44,000 against a $3 million budget. But what happened? Was the film just not very good, or did something else happen? Estevez had his thought, and he wasn't shy to let them be known.
Estevez Nearly Quit Hollywood For Good
After The War at Home proved to be a second directorial failure for Emilio Estevez, he nearly quit Hollywood. He was furious at Disney for the film's tiny marketing push, and chose to blame the Mouse House for its failure.
Still, the weight of his second bomb on his shoulders proved to be very heavy for Estevez. Eventually Estevez decided to stay in the industry, but from that point forward he made sure he wasn't going to compromise anymore.
Emilio Estevez Didn't Think The Mighty Ducks Movie Would Be Successful
The son of Martin Sheen noted to FSN that nobody really expected them to be successful, and called it "kind of a fluke." In the interview, the actor revealed a few more hidden secrets after making the film.
First off, the actor came out and said that he never knew how to skate before being cast in the movie. Secondly, the actor-turned-director hired Jackson for his movie Bobby based on his experience working with him.
Bobby TooK Six Years To Write
Like we said, the movie Bobby was a bit of a passion project for Emilio Estevez. The historical film took the actor/director six years to write! He must have been pretty passionate to have that kind of patience!
Thankfully Estevez's hard work paid off. The film was given a positive reception, his first as a director Twelve years later he would decide to direct again, getting behind the camera for The Public
Young Guns
After starring in Stakeout Emilio Estevez appeared in Young Guns. He played William Bonney in the movie and acted alongside Keifer Sutherland, Dermot Mulroney, and Lou Diamond Phillips.
The movie, not-shockingly, followed a group of young gunmen as they are deputized and begin to seek vengeance for a fallen rancher and friend. The gang is led by Billy the Kid, and takes several liberties with history to make an entertaining movie.
D2: The Mighty Ducks
In 1994 Emilio Estevez returned to the ice in D2: The Mighty Ducks. In the film his character is once again put in charge of youth hockey team and must navigate the waters of the Junior Goodwill to step out victorious.
Most of the key cast returned from the original, and the film didn't take many chances. Still, it was popular and made enough money to warrant a third movie, which, as you know, Estevez only made a cameo appearance in.
Men At Work
In 1990 Emilio Estevez directed his second film, Men At Work. This time he brought his brother along for the ride to help him play garbage men who discover an illegal toxic waste dump.
Together, the brothers work to bring the whole operation down. The movie was more successful than Estevez's first directorial effort, earning $16 million against a $9 million budget. Sadly, it did not do well with critics.
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