The Apocalypse Now star plays a grieving father taking his dead son’s ashes to a real pilgrimage site in the film and he admits it was a great experience because he was able to revisit a few memorable spots on the Camino De Santiago, which begins at the French border and winds its way through Spain to Galicia.
He tells WENN, “In 2003 I was on break from The West Wing and my grandson Taylor, Emilio’s son, was working for me as my assistant. I asked him to go to Europe with me and we flitted away our time in Ireland.”
From there, Sheen and his grandson travelled to Spain and decided to attempt the pilgrimage trail, or part of it, in two weeks.
He adds, “When we got to Spain we had two weeks left before I had to be back in L.A. to start the new season for The West Wing.
“We were at my sister Carmen’s apartment and she suggested we rent a car and drive the Camino. We rented a car in Madrid and drove to the first major stop in Burgos.
“We go to Casa Rural, a house that takes trekkers and pilgrims run by this family and we get invited by the pilgrims to the supper that night. This young beautiful girl, Julia, who is the daughter of the owners, is serving us and she and Taylor fall in love. They got married in 2006 and now live in Burgos.”
