Charlie Sheen Lost Out on a Huge Role Thanks to His Dad

Grizzly II: The Revenge is a horror movie that was filmed in 1983. It’s about a bear that’s, ya know, getting revenge. It sounds like something primed for a dingy theater in the 1980s. But that never happened. A producer on the film skipped town and was later arrested, and the movie never hit cinemas. However, it was finally released in 2020, thanks to Gravitas Ventures. Why? It features early performances from George Clooney, Laura Dern, and Charlie Sheen.

Since then, it’s just kind of existed. There’s been no intense cult following or big splash. It has its fans, but it’s not like people are dressing up as the characters to go to screenings (if you are, apologies; get your freak on). That doesn’t mean the movie is void of any legacy. It actually plays a huge role in Charlie Sheen’s career because it kept him from doing something else.

Sheen recently sat down with Conan O’Brien to promote his new book. It’s a pretty fun episode. Conan has more of a rapport with Sheen than I expected, having appeared on his talk shows numerous times over the years. They also don’t shy away from discussing much. I know part of Sheen’s whole media tour is discussing his struggles, but that’s certainly a tone shift for Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t laughs. There’s plenty of fun to be had. Especially regarding Sheen’s role in Grizzly II. To be clear, it wasn’t a large part for him. He’s killed pretty early on. (Spoiler?) Regardless, it had a pretty massive effect on his career. Not because it was successful, but because it kept him from taking on another role: Daniel LaRusso.

Yes, Charlie Sheen was almost the titular Karate Kid. He auditioned. He was cast. It was a huge deal! Sheen was going to have a career no matter what, but it could have been way different if he had starred in the film. The film itself could have been completely different. We may have never gotten the long-running franchise that just culminated in a crossover film that I’m sure you forgot about before reading this.

As Sheen explains to Conan, he was already committed to Grizzly II and needed to start karate training within a few days. He and his agent were trying to plot their way out when Sheen went to his dad for advice. “So, you gave them your word, right?” Martin Sheen asked his son when he told him he was trying to get out of the film. When Charlie said that anyone could do the role he was committed to, and that Karate Kid would be a bigger hit, Martin doubled down.

“It’s not about that,” the West Wing star said. “It’s about… one big film in this business is not going to carry you as far as being a man of your word.” Did Charlie Sheen, of all people, end up being a “man of his word?” No! Quite the contrary! However, he didn’t back out of Grizzly II. He did not play Daniel LaRusso, and instead was able to make two Hot Shots movies. So, everything worked out for the best.