A REEL MESS
Sheen’s 9/11 film stirs flap
IT’S BEEN 16 years since the Sept. 11 attacks devastated New York, America and the world and many people still aren’t ready to watch a movie about that awful day.
An upcoming film on the tragedy, “9/11,” stars Charlie Sheen and centers on five fictional characters trapped inside an elevator in the World Trade Center’s north tower. For a combination of reasons, including its controversial star, the film has been panned on social media as “offensive” ever since a melodramatic trailer appeared online last month.
That’s not how the film’s director, Martin Guigui, or its stars intended for it to come across. “Out of respect for the 9/11 community, this is an inspiring story about the heroes,” Guigui told the Daily News. “It’s really about the first responders and people who sacrificed their lives to save others.
“The key for us was to tell an honest story, and unlike the other 9/11 films that have been made, this one is about the humanity,” Guigui said. “Five people who come from different backgrounds … their religious beliefs, the color of their skin, their political views — none of that matters anymore.”
Actress and New York City resident Gina Gershon — who plays Sheen’s wife, Eve, in the movie based on Patrick Carson’s 2011 play “Elevator” — says she was moved by the project.
“I knew it was a touchy subject, but I believed the director had the right intentions,” says Gershon. “We wanted to portray these people and this experience from a very unique point of view.”
But the film has been largely overshadowed by its casting of Sheen, who has notoriously voiced doubts about what really happened on 9/11. Sheen, whom some have called a “9/11 truther,” expressed skepticism during a 2006 interview on divisive conservative commentator Alex Jones’ radio show, when he suggested that a “controlled demolition” actually caused the twin towers to collapse.
“We’re not the conspiracy theorists on this issue,” Sheen said. “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.”
Both Guigui and Gershon said that Sheen — who declined an interview request and hasn’t done any press for the movie — did not mention his views on 9/11 while they were on set.
The director felt Sheen was a perfect fit to play Jeffery Cage, a tycoon who also gets trapped, because he had portrayed a similar character in 1987’s “Wall Street.”
“I think everybody has known about those comments,” Guigui said of Sheen’s conspiracy remarks. “There are many people who have made comments along those lines over the years ... But that was never something that affected my decision-making process.”
Sheen is a decorated actor with a noteworthy history of dramatic and comedic credits but a risky casting choice for such a sensitive film given the controversy that has frequently surrounded his personal life — from substance abuse to allegations of domestic violence.
The starring gig in “9/11” marks his first major dramatic role since announcing his HIV diagnosis in 2015. He took on a starring role behind the scenes of “9/11” by helping to develop the script and bringing on another writer, in addition to involving his brother Emilio Estevez as a creative consultant.
Gershon, 55, raved about Sheen’s performance but admits she wasn’t aware of the actor’s past 9/11 speculation until after production wrapped. “I would’ve definitely had a conversation with Charlie and with the director just to find out to make sure what exactly we were trying to achieve,” Gershon said.