Martin Sheen Replaced Harvey Keitel in ‘Apocalypse Now’
Harvey Keitel was a terrific actor, but he wasn’t the casting director’s initial choice for the role of Captain Benjamin L. Williard in ‘Apocalypse Now.’ Despite this, they still hired him, but the director didn’t feel he could play Williard right. Then he remembered Martin Sheen, the actor who was originally offered the role. Sheen had been offered the part first but turned down the role because of other commitments. Regardless, the director wanted him, so he reached out again and insisted until the actor said yes.