Charlie Sheen is a veteran of large and small screens alike, with projects ranging from beloved classics like Major League to long-running comedies like Two and a Half Men. For some people, however, Sheen may be more remembered for the kinds of controversies that got him ousted from the CBS sitcom. He's telling his story in his own way in aka Charlie Sheen, an upcoming release in the 2025 Netflix schedule, so the timing is right for the reports that he has made massive contributions to charity even when making headlines for the wrong reasons.
Back when Charlie Sheen was one of the most popular actors on the small screen in his Two and a Half Men heyday, TMZ reports that he donated between $26 - $30 million to charity. No, I didn't skip a decimal point there – the outlet cites sources claiming that Sheen donated up to $30 million to good causes. Among those causes were cancer research, projects to help those without homes, and Autism Speaks. The star reportedly insisted on anonymity regarding the donations, which has lasted up until late 2025.
Considering that his very public controversies include "winning" comments that he went on to regret, his addiction issues during the Two and a Half Men era, and how he announced that he was diagnosed as HIV positive, Sheen had plenty of opportunities to give himself credit for making huge donations to good causes. Instead, he remained anonymous.
That said, nothing was apparently off limits when he candidly spoke about his life and career in the two-part aka Charlie Sheen documentary, which will be available with a Netflix subscription starting on Wednesday, September 10.
The group of people from his life who participated in the documentary include Sean Penn, ex-wife Denise Richards (who says she talked her then-husband into joining the hit CBS sitcom), former Two and a Half Men co-lead Jon Cryer, Money Talks costar Chris Tucker, ex-wife Brooke Mueller, sitcom legend Chuck Lorre, brother Ramon Estevez, daughter Lola Sheen and – as credited in the trailer for aka Charlie – "Charlie's Dealer." Take a look:
It remains to be seen if Sheen touches on any of his charitable acts in the documentary, which could perhaps explain why sources are reportedly coming forward only now to address the donations. The focus of the Netflix trailer seems to be more on his career and addiction issues, however. I do have to wonder if he'll be 100% on board with the finished product of aka Charlie or have some regrets like Martha Stewart did after her Martha documentary released on the streamer.
For now, you can plan on checking out aka Charlie Sheen when it premieres on Wednesday, September 10 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Netflix. Since Jon Cryer and creator Chuck Lorre both gave interviews for the documentary, it may also be worth revisiting Two and a Half Men. All of Sheen's eight seasons (as well as the four starring Ashton Kutcher) are available streaming with a Peacock subscription now.
