Last November, Charlie Sheen revealed his HIV positive status in an exclusive TODAY interview with Matt Lauer. At the time, the actor said his reasoning for speaking out was to put an end to the extortion efforts based on his diagnosis. He revealed he had paid over $10 million to keep his HIV positive status a secret, since being diagnosed in 2011.
Today, he's changing his tune: The actor, in an interview with People magazine, said that he hopes to use his HIV diagnosis to help others.
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"I guess certain things happen for a reason," Sheen, 50, told People. "And maybe all of the stuff that I've done professionally, to garner such attention and fanfare and whatever else — good or bad — was sort of leading to a greater calling, a deeper calling..."
Sheen plans to use his HIV positive status as a platform to speak out about safe sex, and is partnering with condom company LELO HEX as a brand ambassador.
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"This is a way to prevent a lot of sh*t from happening, from disease to unwanted pregnancies. But it's still taboo for some reason," Sheen said.
The actor told People that his opinion on condom use has changed since being diagnosed, and he now feels a responsibility to be vocal about sexual health.
"I don't think it's ever a bad time to be an advocate for something like this," Sheen continued. Aside from helping to launch the LELO HEX brand, Sheen hopes to get back to acting — he just finished filming a drama inspired by the 9/11 attacks.
"There's opportunity in the air, which is really nice. The world is turning," Sheen commented.