Sheen stars in a new movie about the tragedy, « 9/11. »
Charlie Sheen apologized to anyone he offended with the 9/11 truther comments he made over a decade ago — but didn’t entirely denounce his skepticisms about what transpired that day.
The actor stars in a new drama about the tragedy, « 9/11, » which arrived in theaters on Friday. His casting in the film inspired widespread criticism leading up to its release, considering Sheen infamously speculated in 2006 that it was actually a « controlled demolition » that brought the Twin Towers down.
Sheen, 52, did not do much press for the new movie, but finally addressed those truther remarks in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday.
« I know I got lot of heat for the opinions I had that weren’t just my own, » Sheen told the outlet in an article published Friday. « I was not just coming up with stuff about 9/11. I was parroting those a lot smarter and a lot more experienced than myself, who had very similar questions.
« If I offended anyone, I apologize and if I inspired anyone, then so be it. »
Sheen originally expressed his skepticisms about 9/11 during a 2006 radio interview with conservative radio pundit Alex Jones.
« We’re not the conspiracy theorists on this issue, » Sheen said at the time. « It seems to me like 19 amateurs with box cutters taking over four commercial airliners and hitting 75% of the targets — that feels like a conspiracy theory. »
He opted not to delve much deeper into those remarks in his new interview with THR, but seemed to suggest that some things still don’t add up to him.
« I am more about moving forward, » Sheen said. « Not to put this behind us, because, as it was brilliantly written, we must never forget, but there are still a couple of things just rooted in simple physics that beg some measure of inquiry. I was in contact with a lot of family members and they were in concert with a lot of my questions. »
The film’s director, Martin Guigui, defended Sheen’s casting amid the controversy during a recent interview with the Daily News.
He said Sheen never addressed his past 9/11 remarks while he was on the set of the movie.
« I think everybody has known about those comments, » Guigui told The News. « There are many people who have made comments along those lines over the years. I found out when everybody else did. But that was never something that affected my decision-making process.
« I see Charlie as an extraordinary talent, and I gotta tell you, when he came to the set, he inspired everybody and he rose to the occasion. »
The movie serves as a return to dramatic acting for Sheen, who is known more recently for his sitcoms « Two and a Half Men » and « Anger Management. »
His new movie focuses on five fictional people who get trapped in the World Trade Center’s North Tower amid the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
« I saw it as an opportunity to do something dramatic, something I had not done in a long time, » Sheen told THR. « And I also saw it as a possibility to deliver something focused on the people in a very specific event. »
The film also stars Whoopi Goldberg, Gina Gershon, Luis Guzman and Jacqueline Bisset.
