Martin Sheen has said that his son Charlie Sheen is courageous to have confessed on national television that he is HIV positive.

Charlie Sheen announced on "Today program" that he has been HIV-positive for nearly four years, adding that blackmailers had swindled him out of US$10M (AU$13.89M) by threatening to reveal his HIV status.

Speaking during an event in Naples Florida, "West Wing " actor Martin Sheen said that Charlie had been building up to “the most difficult thing he'd ever done” for months, with his family's support, Sky News reported.

"We kept encouraging him to do it," the elder Sheen was quoted as saying by Naples Daily News on Tuesday. "And he kept backing away and backing away because it was like going to his own execution, I guess."

After disclosing his HIV status, "Two and a Half Men" has been receiving mixed response. His family has been supportive, but one of his ex-girlfriends has criticised him. Bree Olson said that Charlie announcement has made people think she is spreading HIV, TMZ reported.

Jenny McCarthy, Charlie's "Two and Half Men" co-star, said on "SiriusXM" radio show that she was baffled that Charlie did not reveal his HIV diagnoses while working on the show, while she had to sign onset releases for having cold sores.

Meanwhile, the "Two and Half Men" star is reportedly worried about the lawsuits. According to People Magazine, in California, it's illegal to intentionally pass on a sexually transmitted disease. Sheen claimed that all his sexual partners were aware about his HIV status, adding that he wouldn't be surprised if he was sued.

"He is at risk at losing civil judgments to all the lovers that he's had if he knew that he was infected and never told them," Susan Moss, a family law attorney at Chemtob Moss & Forman, said.

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