PILSEN — During a trip to Chicago to stump for Gov. Pat Quinn ahead of November's election, famed actor Martin Sheen made a surprise stop at Nuevo Leon in Pilsen over the weekend.
After a morning news conference, the pair stopped by for breakfast, eating the governor's favorite Nuevo dish — chicken tacos with rice and beans, according to Nuevo Leon manager Daniel Gutierrez Jr.
As the two dined, nobody seemed to notice that Sheen was dining with Quinn, but by the end of their meal, "there was a big commotion," Gutierrez said.
Sheen "was very gracious, very humble and spoke in Spanish — very good Spanish, actually," Gutierrez said. Sheen stuck around to take pictures with customers and toured the kitchen, thanking the staff.
It was Sheen's first visit to the Pilsen restaurant, Gutierrez said. The restaurant is a Chicago hot spot for Hispanic celebrities and local politicians, including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, but Sheen is one of the biggest American actors who's visited the restaurant aside from Leonardo DiCaprio.
Born Ramon Estevez, the 74-year-old began using the name Martin Sheen in an effort to land jobs as a young actor. He never officially changed his name, Sheen has said. His father immigrated to the United States from Spain and his mother from Ireland.
Sheen has had numerous notable roles, including in movies such as "Apocalypse Now," "Gettysburg and "The Departed," and the TV series "The West Wing," where he played President Josiah Bartlet.
Two of Sheen's four children are also well-known actors — Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez.
First Lady Michelle Obama was in town Tuesday to campaign for Quinn as he seeks to hold on to the state's top political spot against Republican challenger Bruce Rauner. Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is expected to attend a fundraiser for Quinn Wednesday.
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