For decades, Martin Sheen has quietly been a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. He's appeared in everything from The West Wing and Badlands to the current Netflix series, Grace and Frankie. Being in the business for years, he's worked with Spielberg, Scorcese, and everyone in between. But throughout his rise to fame and steady career, he's had one constant in his life — his wife Janet Sheen (also known as Janet Estévez). For 60 years, Janet has been by her husband's side through movie premieres, his struggle with alcoholism, raising four children, and more.
Janet Elizabeth Templeton, originally a native of Dayton, Ohio, married Martin Sheen in 1961. When asked about the secret to their long marriage, Sheen explains that they work because she'll call him out when he needs it.
"I was fortunate enough to marry the scariest woman I'd ever met," The actor told the Washington Post.
"She did not know how to lie. It was impossible. For me, the truth was a sometimes thing. For her, it was eternity. She would always call me out, thank God."
Actor Charlie Sheen, left, poses with his father, actor Martin Sheen, center, and brother, actor Emilio Estevez, after receiving his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, Ca., on Sept. 23, 1994. (AP Photo/Rhonda Birndorf)
The couple has four children together who all followed in dad's footsteps in the entertainment industry — Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez, and Renee Estevez.
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Apparently, Janet really helped her husband get through a hard time when he suffered a heart attack on the set of Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam drama Apocalypse Now during filming in the Philippines. The heart attack came as a result of his heavy drinking at the time which had really put a strain on his marriage. According to the Washington Post, it would be years before the actor would finally clean up his act and get sober but his wife stayed by his side all the same.
"There was a struggle to get me to a hospital because we were in a remote area of the jungle," Martin told Closer Weekly.
"My wife, Janet, was running down the corridor, and I was on a gurney being wheeled in, and I looked up and saw her face. She leaned down and whispered, 'It's only a movie, babe. Please, it's only a movie! It was very serious, and she handled it like a pro. She had me laughing in the most dire circumstances. She said, 'Don't take yourself so seriously.'"
While Martin is best known for his work in front of the camera, his wife has dabbled a bit in Hollywood herself. She appeared as Elaine de Kooning in the miniseries Kennedy, had a small role as a nurse in the TV movie Rated X, was an associate producer on Beverly Hills Brats, and an executive producer on The Way according to her IMDB. Despite spending decades together, the longtime couple doesn't really make a fuss about their long and consistent relationship.
"We don't fuss over it — it's only for the kids and grandkids," the actor explained. Besides, he added, "Every day is a celebration with this dame."
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