Charlie Sheen’s Mom Has Been Married 60+ Years, and Even Dabbled in Acting
Charlie's mom welcomed him in 1965, four years after she married Martin.
Published Sept. 9 2025, 7:41 p.m. ET
The name Charlie Sheen is one you’d recognize instantly. From Two and a Half Men to being the son of iconic actor Martin Sheen, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t know who Charlie Sheen is. There’s plenty to know about him, maybe even too much, and his memoir The Book of Sheen, which dropped on Sept. 9, 2025, reveals even more.
But while Charlie’s life has been fascinating and complicated all at once, there’s another person people are curious about: his mom, the woman who essentially brought him into the world. Here’s what to know about her.
Who is Charlie Sheen's mother?
The first thing to know about Charlie Sheen’s mom, Janet Templeton, is that she and his father, Martin Sheen, didn’t actually name him Charlie Sheen. His birth name is Carlos Irwin Estévez, though he later adopted the stage name Sheen, following in his father’s footsteps and in honor of Fulton J. Sheen, the Catholic archbishop and theologian, according to his Hollywood Walk of Fame bio.
His real middle name, Irwin, also pays tribute to the doctor involved in his September 1965 birth. In his memoir (per USA Today), The Book of Sheen, Charlie revealed that his umbilical cord had wrapped around his neck, and Dr. Irwin Shaybone is presumably the one who saved him, hence the reason for his middle name.
Aside from Charlie, Janet and Martin Sheen welcomed three other children, Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez, and Renée Estevez, who all went on to pursue acting careers as well.
Charlie Sheen’s mom is also an actress and producer.
Given how involved Charlie’s father is in the entertainment industry, it’s no surprise that Janet also has a track record in acting and producing. She starred in the TV miniseries Kennedy in 1983, playing Elaine de Kooning, and later appeared as an uncredited nurse in Rated X (2000), according to her IMDb.
She’s also worked behind the scenes, serving as associate producer on Beverly Hills Brats (1989) and as executive producer for the 2010 film The Way, which also stars her husband, Martin. She’s currently working on The Way: Chapter 2, the sequel to The Way, which is in pre-production and will once again star Martin reprising his role as Tom, with their son Emilio as Daniel.
Charlie Sheen's parents in their younger years.
Before she became Janet the actress and producer, Charlie’s mom attended the New School for Social Research in New York City, where she reportedly met Martin, per Wikipedia. The couple married in 1961 and have been together ever since. Janet is originally from Dayton, Ohio, and was born on July 8, 1944, per IMDb, making her 81 years old as of this writing.
While Charlie’s life has been filled with many ups and downs, including his divorces and drug addiction, one thing that has remained constant is his mother. She and Martin have been married for over six decades. Janet has also been by Martin’s side through some grueling times, including when he suffered a heart attack at 37 while filming Apocalypse Now, and again in 2015 during quadruple bypass heart surgery, per Closer Weekly.