Even while he was the lead on an exceptionally successful television show that earned him bragging rights as the highest paid TV actor of all time (a record he still claims today), Charlie Sheen was best known for being tabloid fodder, in part thanks to his antics that ranged from amusingly bizarre to just plain dark. Now he’s finally ready to talk about what was really going on. 

In aka Charlie Sheen, the actor lifts the veil on his notorious life, both in and away from the public eye. Directed by Andrew Renzi (Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?, Untold: Jake Paul the Problem Child), the two-part documentary is a story of winning, losing, and the price of survival under Hollywood’s brightest spotlights and darkest shadows. The film traces Sheen’s upbringing (check out a few of his first home movies here) meteoric rise, his headline-making falls, and personal battles that became public spectacles. 

With seven years of sobriety behind him, Sheen is able to open up like never before, tackling the rumors, scandals, and self-inflicted chaos that have always threatened to cut him down. With humor, heartbreak, and refreshing honesty, he reflects on his wildest moments and the hard lessons that followed.

But bringing Sheen into the project was no simple feat. Renzi spent months earning his trust before cameras ever rolled. “He did not want to make a documentary,” the director tells Tudum. “[Sheen] was like, ‘Why step into this arena in this way?’ I had seven to eight months of relationship building with him before we even sat down to shoot the film. That was really important to me.”

Renzi saw real value in giving Sheen the space to tell his story directly, but was clear that this couldn’t be a puff piece. Rather, he saw an opportunity to capture an unvarnished account of Sheen’s life — presenting missteps and moments of growth alike — and to offer people a rare look at his story through the eyes of sober reflection, rather than the chaos that has defined his public persona.

“A guy like him has a lot to offer the world with that story,” Renzi says. “A lot of times we are scared of hearing from people who have done things we might not agree with, but who better to talk about these missteps? Those who have worked hard to find the perspective to talk about those things have lots to offer. I find that to be a beautiful arc.”

Get a first look into Sheen’s candid reflections on a chaotic life in the trailer at the top of the page, and read on for everything to know about aka Charlie Sheen. 

What is the aka Charlie Sheen release date?

The two-part documentary premiered on Sept. 10. 

What is aka Charlie Sheen about? 

For the first time, Sheen speaks candidly about his early years growing up in Malibu, offering a rare perspective on a childhood spent at the intersection of Hollywood royalty and coastal suburbia. He revisits the path from his unconventional upbringing to a seemingly effortless rise to megastardom — and the dramatic faceplants that unfolded in the public eye. Across the documentary’s two parts, the actor addresses long-standing rumors and reflects on chapters of his life he’s rarely discussed publicly before, revealing the man behind the headlines with a new level of honesty and insight. 

What topics does Charlie Sheen talk about in the documentary?

Crucially, aka Charlie Sheen includes a direct assessment of the most complicated chapters of the actor’s life — from his substance abuse and sexual history to his 2011 HIV diagnosis, which he disclosed in 2015. For Renzi, these moments were among the most powerful in the film. “It was the most vulnerable thing for him, and I find the way he approached it to be brave and amazing,” Renzi says. “I am grateful that he trusted me enough to tell this part of his story.”

From the outset, Renzi was determined not to sanitize Sheen’s story, but to honestly explore how shame, fame, addiction, and self-destruction so often collided in his life. “This behavior is something that Charlie knows is not to be glorified … I wanted to show that he had beautiful times but also horrible times. We see the consequences of these actions. I wasn’t shying away from the truth.”

Uncover the most unforgettable moments from the documentary here.

Who is interviewed in aka Charlie Sheen? 

aka Charlie Sheen features revealing interviews with those who know Sheen best, from family and friends to Hollywood insiders — and even his former drug dealer. Interviews with Denise Richards, Heidi Fleiss, Jon Cryer, Sean Penn, Ramon Estevez, Brooke Mueller, Chris Tucker, and more help piece together the story of a man whose appetite for self-destruction left a complex swirl of admiration, regret, compassion, and resentment in its wake.

Are Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez interviewed?

While Sheen’s father, Martin, and brother, Emilio Estevez, declined to participate on camera, Renzi says they remain supportive. Learn more about why here.

Is Nicolas Cage interviewed?

Sheen’s longtime friend, actor Nicolas Cage, also declined to participate on camera. He wrote to Renzi, explaining that while he’s in support of the project, at this time he’s only choosing to work on current projects of his own. He did, however, offer some words of admiration for Sheen: “Charlie as you know has been one of my dearest friends and in my view one of the greatest screen actors of my generation,” he wrote in the letter. “I am happy he is getting a chance to express himself and his story with someone who appears to be as inventive and creative as himself (his poetry is as inventive as it gets). […] On the other hand I have tried to co-star with Charlie multiple times in the traditional format of independently spirited drama and I have high hopes that this will still happen.”

aka Charlie Sheen is now streaming.

What’s this doc like? 

An intimate and provocative look at celebrity, aka Charlie Sheen traces the captivating, scandalous, and nostalgic rise and fall of one of Hollywood’s most notorious stars. 

• Watch out for sensitive topics like alcohol and drug use, substance addiction, and allegations of sexual abuse.
• Could be described as the raw honesty of Pamela, a love story meets the wild ride of Britney vs. Spears.