Director and actor Emilio Estevez and his actor father, Martin Sheen, are in the midst of a bus tour promoting and screening their new film, “The Way,” which opens October 7. It’s a refreshingly beautiful and respectful treatment of the Church, telling the story of a father who decides to take the Camino de Santiago walking pilgrimage in honor of his deceased son. Estevez and Sheen sat down with me on Tuesday afternoon to talk about the film.
At one point during the interview, Sheen spoke of visiting various pilgrimage sites and pulled his Rosary from his pocket. In response, I pulled my own from my pocket. Sheen took it, kissed it, and blessed himself with it. The full interview is here, but here’s an excerpt where both talked about their faith.
Was it difficult to do a movie that looks favorably on God?
Emilio: It wasn’t for me. For others it was. When we pitched it to studio representatives you could see their eyes glaze over. They’d say, “It’s about spirituality.” So we decided to shoot it digitally and independently. I believe this movie plays between Glenwood and Newark. Beverly Hills and New York can take a walk. Hollywood makes a lot of garbage. We know because we’ve been in some of it. There are less and less movies to go to – films without overt sexuality and language that won’t make me blush. We’re all tired of what’s coming out of Hollywood. Word of mouth will help this film make it.
Emilio, do you consider yourself a practicing Catholic? Can you tell me the impact that working on this film has had on your faith?
Emilio: I grew up in a house where my mother was a strict Southern Baptist, and my father was a devout Catholic. I grew up as a kid hearing many arguments about religion. There was always a question about how we would be raised. We were baptized, and as often happens in these types of situations, the father loses the fight. Because of the turmoil, going to Mass was not part of our routine. When Martin returned to the Church in 1981, he came back to a different Church.
For me, I’m a work in progress and I really feel that I’m on a journey. I have yet to declare myself. I’m on a spiritual journey and am very much in touch with that. There was a point in the production process where I stopped calling what happened along the way coincidences and began calling them miracles. Things like that happened daily, things that were just supposed to be.
What was the genesis of your reversion to the Catholic faith, Martin?
Martin: It began after my illness in the Philippines while filming Apocalypse Now. I began going to Church because I was afraid of dying. Then I stopped going for a long time. My eyes were first reopened when I was in India filming Gandhi. Then, in 1981, while in Paris, I read the book The Brothers Karamazov. I had been given the book by director Terrence Malick. The book kept me up. After reading it, I went to see a priest and told him I wanted to come home. He looked at me with eyes that said, “This is what I do.” He told me to return the next day at 4:00 p.m. as he had a wedding at 4:30 p.m. He told me not to be late. I went to confession with him and wept. I came back to a Church that was very different. I left a Church of fear and returned to a Church of love.
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I for one, plan to see this movie and tell others about it. Just like Emilio says, there is garbage out there that’s not fit for even the pigs. Thanks guys for having the guts to make something that sounds like it is actually worth watching.
The Way is a great movie—heart warming and touching with a strong spiritual theme that is not tacked on but fits organically into the story. It is worth seeing whether you’re a Catholic or not.
Nice work Tim Drake! Looking forward to the rest of the interview…
Many years ago while attending Mass at the Cathedral in St Paul, I saw a young Emilio in the congregation. He went up to Communion and then quietly walked out. I thought at the time, He left early out of reverence for the place; he didn’t want to be the distraction. How brave to stand against a very powerful industry.
I have been promoting the movie through word of mouth, e-mails, facebook, twitter and just talking to people. But before I did all that. I asked Emilio for permission to promote the movie. I live in Athens Greece. I am Jewish and I am close to God, and felt I needed to do this. Once I got the permission to promote. I made it in a campaign, I am sick with bronchitits, no matter I feel that this movie deserves a Emmy or Oscar (not sure it is the same thing). Golden Globe. If they don’t win, Then Hollywood has poor taste in movies. I am pro ESTEVEZ/SHEEN.
Wonderful interview, I cannot wait to see more.
I was fortunate enough to meet both Emilio and Martin on their bus tour when it stopped here in the Twin Cities on Monday, Sept 12, 2011. I not only was able to meet them and get their signatures, my 7 year old daughter and I got passes to the screening that evening. The movie was amazing and beautiful. I laughed and I cried. I took away many thoughts and left the theatre changed. My 7 year old who attends Catholic school was able to ask Martin and Emilio a question after the screening. She was so touched by the movie that she went to school the next morning and asked the Principal if the movie could be shown at school when the DVD comes out. The Principal agreed.
Thank you to both of them for having the courage and love to make this film, and for sharing it with all of us.
Yes, Hollywood is making the wrong types of films. Thank you both for having the courage to do this. Mr. Sheen, some of your best moments in West Wing were when you expressed the Catholic faith of the President you played. Remember the scene in the church after your secretary died? And the scene where your confession was heard in the oval office? Using your talent as an actor to express your faith, there is no greater calling.
“Beverly Hills and New York can take a walk. Hollywood makes a lot of garbage. We know because we’ve been in some of it. There are less and less movies to go to – films without overt sexuality and language that won’t make me blush. We’re all tired of what’s coming out of Hollywood.” -=my reply-love this quote!—Totally agree.
I am glad to see Martian and Emilo did this film. It is good to know Emilio is on a “spiritual journey” It’s so sad how Charlie Sheen is living his life and I am sure it may be influencing Emilio on how NOT to behave and live.
If Martain and Emilio has been turned around spiritually, lets hope Charlie will someday come around—For his life has obviously been turned upside down by Hollywood and all the filth it offers….
Looing forward to the comple intervuew….. God bless you and your family
I love the whole idea of this movie. I’ve been wanting to take a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago myself, ever since learning of it a few years ago.
This sounds like an excellent movie that I can take my Spanish classes to while it’s in the theatre! (And I’ll be looking to see where it’ll be in Eastern Iowa, to do just that!)
Thank you for making a family-friendly movie.
Welcome home Martin. Sounds like a decent film for a change. Definitely better than the garbage I just saw. We need more prayers for Hollywood. There are good people there who need spiritual support because they are in the midst of one of the major spiritual battles we have going on in our time. Funny how Hollywood used to turn out great spiritual, family, clean, excellent works and now they think garbage is better. They used to realize that people went to the movies to escape their lives and to be lifted, if temporarily, out of the muck. People would go to see films so they could dream of life being better. They used film to inspire people to be better but now they use film to teach people to treat each others as animals and objects and to revel in the muck. It’s also funny how Hollywood execs ignore the fact that clean good films bring in more money than garbage.
“The Way” is a terrific film. My wife and I absolutely loved it and were moved by it. The casting and the filming are outstanding. I’d see it again in a heartbeat. Tell every person of faith, or even those considering faith, to see this movie. It does not preach. It is captiviting and deeply moving.
I gather that the son that died is Charlie, but I like to tell Martin and Emilio that the power of God is greater than all evils. I like to invite every catholic who goes on this site, to unite and say the Chaplet of Divine mercy if only once for our brother Charlie Sheen. We may not have met personally but we all know that as Catholics we all belong to the same body of Christ, we are all together in this great family of the Catholic Church. Charlie is not lost he is just confused God loves him much, he is the little lam that Jesus will bring back on his shoulders. God bless you Martin, and Emilio.
“Church of fear?” I dunno. God was merciful in allowing me to make my profession of faith shortly before the full follies of the late 1960s - early 1970s turned much of the practice of the faith I hardly knew into an almost Las Vegas-plastic thing. But even so, I don’t remember fear; I remember joy. My experience, of course, was a sampling of somewhat less than a hundred.
Eager to see the movie on DVD; it will NEVER appear in a theatre in southeast Texas.
I first saw Martin Sheen at St. Henry Church in Cleveland, He was attending daily Mass. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The Pastor , Fr. William Karg said I was correct and he was in Cleveland for I believe his ill mother-in-law. He stayed after Mass in a very humble silent posture. I was so impressed seeing a Hollywood star with such reverence attending daily Mass. God bless you and your family. You are an example to many of us, I look forward to seeing this movie.
Thank you gentlemen,
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all.
Mr Sheen, I would like to say thank you for all of your fine work and thank your sons for the good work they have done also, I pray that things will get better for you and your family Mr. Sheen.
I don’t watch TV or movies any longer, there is nothing worth watching, I believe I would like to see this movie.
May God watch over you and keep you safe,
Your brother in Christ Chaplain Dan
We saw “The Way” on a British Airways flight traveling to World Youth Day in Madrid. Part of our travels crossed over the Camino de Santiago, so I was initially interested to see the movie because of that. It was beautifully done and I appreciated the positive depiction of the Church and the Priest he met along “The Way”. We hear so much ridiculous negativity about the Church in the secular media that is just not true. Blessings and thanks to Mr. Sheen and Mr. Estevez!
Most of the garbage are coming out of Hollywood, glorifying sex,murder,etc. and I am stopping short of calling the writers and producers as “Satan’s Advertisers”. I will be like a cool breeze of fresh heavenly wind to see a movie like this amid the hellish heat of the trash coming out of Hollywood.
I’m looking forward to seeing the movie next week in Georgia. God bless these two men of quiet strength and courage. “Well done good and faithful servants.”
I watched The Way while flying on British Air to London. A warm, beautiful film that sent me to Google to learn everything I could about the Camino de Santiago. A truly inspirational and worthwhile film.
Wonder what Martin Sheen thinks of Two and a Half Men, which until recently had his son Charlie?
I have seen the film having recently completed a key section of the Camino.
Whatever the motivation for so doing it has spiritual consequences for all. It is personal and interactive as we meet fellow `peregrinos` and share our stories en route.
The film heroically presents a long challenging journey in a truly human - but time edited way - through people who do not profess holiness but find some spirituality through human pain in each other.
Boy Martin I feel so free now that the hair stands up on my arms all the time, all because of Gods Church, God working through people who love me right where I’m at. I am Catholic and before I never gave him my full cooperation because, I was living cafeteria style, pick and choose what I wanted to do and didn’t want to do. Self will run riot!
Its really cool to see Emilios sense of morality shine through! He seemed like a quality person when we saw him at the AMC. I pray he sees Jesus as his Lord and savior someday. God bless him and his family!!! Beutiful people…. they just need Jesus!
I have never heard of the movie THE WAY. I rarely look at what’s playing in the movie section because there is nothing worthwhile…but I would love to see THE WAY. When was it released & is it still playing? The crud on TV & movies is awful - something MUST be done about it. I pray that the HOLY SPIRIT would fall upon this earth as Jesus says in the Bible. I feel that most of the things that are happening are due to the lack of the presence of GOD Almighty in their lives and the CHRISTIAN light is not bright enough for our fellow citizens of this beautiful country and the WORLD to see. May GOD Bless us all & help us ALL to see HIS LIGHT IN THE CHAOTIC WORLD.
I’ve always liked Martin Sheen, especially since I found out that he’s come back to his Catholic faith for I to, came home to the Catholic faith. I don’t go to movies because there’s nothing out there that’s worthwile and that’s going to benefit the soul. We need more actors and directors like Sheen who aren’t afraid to wear their faith on their sleeves. The more we support people like him, the more “trashywood” will take notice and hopefully, “change.”
Fri. 2/10/12 I watched the movie The Way, I found it to be very moving. God works in mysterious ways, right now I have the ashes of two dear friends a husband and wife of many years who asked me to co-mingle their ashes and scatter them at sea together. A promise I will gladly keep. The movie touched me profoundly. Odd timing. Grace and Peace be with you all.
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