Sheen Says Stone Blamed Him for Losing Role

In a Graham Bensinger interview, Charlie Sheen said he was in talks with Oliver Stone and even dined with Ron Kovic to play Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July, but Stone stopped communicating and the lead ultimately went to Tom Cruise. Sheen described the experience as a “betrayal” and “a big deal,” while noting there was no contract—only a handshake—and that he learned of Cruise’s casting from his brother Emilio Estevez. He says he later confronted a drunk Stone at a bar, and Stone told him he thought Sheen had “lost passion” for the project. Sheen says he now has no hard feelings, praising Cruise’s performance, which helped earn Cruise his first Oscar nomination and gave Stone a Best Director win.