Jon Cryer Says Early Years with Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men Were a 'Joy' Before 'Going Off the Rails' (2024)

Jon Cryer still has fond memories of working alongside Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men.

"In the early years, the life with Charlie Sheen was great," Cryer, 57, told Entertainment Tonight. "We got along great, he had been sober for two years when we started the show, and it was really important to him to keep sober. And for those first few years, the show was also going so smoothly."

At the time, Cryer was also "struck by how great Charlie Sheen was at performing in front of an audience."

"He just had it straight out of the box like it was genetically programmed into his body. That was fun and very self-assured," he said. "For those first couple of years, it was, you know, an incredible joy."

But the tables turned in the later years of the show as Sheen began to battle a series of personal struggles.

"When we started noticing things were getting stranger for him, and his marriage fell apart, he was still lovely to work with, he still showed up on time and knew his lines and was doing the job. But you could tell that there was some trouble brewing," Cryer said.

"He started to have issues with the writing and sometimes issues with the writing that I didn't understand," he continued. "I would say, 'This is the kind of joke you had no problem with a year and a half ago, and suddenly now it's an issue?' So, you know, it was very subtle. It took a while before it started really going off the rails."

Jon Cryer Says Early Years with Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men Were a 'Joy' Before 'Going Off the Rails' (2)

Things grew increasingly worse amid Sheen's unpredictable behavior, which included a series of problematic statements and an unexpected feud with Two and a Half Men co-creator Chuck Lorre. According to Cryer, he had discussions with Lorre, 69, about ending the show altogether.

"I think there was a moment where Chuck Lorre and I were looking at each other and we said, 'It's not worth this show going on if going on enables Charlie Sheen to kill himself. If giving him enough money to do whatever the thing is that ends his life, you know, we don't want to be a part of that,'" he said. "And I think, actually, when Charlie was let go from the show, the first thought amongst most of us was, 'OK, we're done. This has been a great thing, but we're done at this point.'"

Jon Cryer Says Early Years with Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men Were a 'Joy' Before 'Going Off the Rails' (3)

Sheen, 56, was fired from the sitcom in 2011 after eight seasons. He was then replaced by Ashton Kutcher, and the series concluded in 2015 after 11 seasons.

Ten years after his departure, Sheen said he regretted the way in which he behaved back then.

"There was 55 different ways for me to handle that situation, and I chose number 56," he told Yahoo! Entertainment in February 2021. "And so, you know, I think the growth for me post-meltdown or melt forward or melt somewhere — however you want to label it — it has to start with absolute ownership of my role in all of it," Sheen explains. "And it was desperately juvenile."

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Addressing what caused him to behave in such a way, Sheen said, "I think it was drugs or the residual effects of drugs … and it was also an ocean of stress and a volcano of disdain. It was all self-generated, you know."

He added, "All I had to do was take a step back and say, 'Okay, let's make a list. Let's list, like, everything that's cool in my life that's going on right now. Let's make a list of what's not cool.' You know what I'm saying?" he added. "And the cool list was really full. The not cool list was, like, two things that could've been easily dismissed. I was getting loaded and my brain wasn't working right."

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

Jon Cryer Says Early Years with Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men Were a 'Joy' Before 'Going Off the Rails' (2024)

FAQs

Why did Charlie Sheen get cancelled off Two and a Half Men? ›

Sheen portrayed Charlie Harper on the CBS series from 2003 to 2011, when he was fired after making a series of controversial statements about Lorre, the show's creator. The Wall Street actor's exit came two months after he was ordered to go to rehab in January 2011 and deal with his alleged drug and alcohol issues.

What did they say happened to Charlie on Two and a Half Men? ›

In the series finale, "Of Course He's Dead", a retcon reveals that Charlie is not dead but survived an attempt on his life by an angry Rose after she found him having sex with a hooker, a mime, and a goat on their honeymoon.

How much is Charlie Sheen worth right now? ›

What is Charlie Sheen's net worth? Charlie Sheen has an estimated net worth of around $10 million as of 2023. This amount includes his income from his acting career, his various business ventures, endorsem*nts, and real-estate investments.

How much did Charlie Sheen make for each episode of Two and a Half Men? ›

As of 2023, Charlie Sheen's net worth is estimated to be over $10 million, according to celebrity net worth. He earned a $1 million salary per episode in Two and a Half Men. He was also the highest-paid television actor with over $1 million in salary income per episode.

Does Charlie Sheen still get paid for reruns of Two and a Half Men? ›

As a part of that deal, he got a bigger slice of the money the show made in syndication. For that reason, Sheen continues to make a lot of money off Two and a Half Men. In fact, collider.com estimates that he has made around $20 million from the show's reruns alone since Two and a Half Men aired its finale.

Does Charlie Sheen still get paid for Two and a Half Men? ›

During the initial seasons of Two and a half men, Charlie Sheen was paid a $250,000 salary per episode. Towards the end of the show, Charlie Sheen was earning over $1 million salary from the show.
...
Charlie Sheen's Salary.
Anger Management$600,000 per episode
Spin City$200,000 per episode
Friends$100,000 per episode
1 more row
Mar 29, 2023

Did Charlie drink on the set of Two and a Half Men? ›

Sheen said he has never been drunk or high on the set of "Two and a Half Men," but did rely on furniture to stay standing after a few long nights. "Never been drunk, never been high on the set once," Sheen said in an apparent stream of consciousness. "But — would show up having not slept much.

Why did Charlie Sheen lose his money? ›

However, he lost a significant amount of money due to wild spending and legal woes. Following his split from his ex-wife Brooke Mueller in 2011, Charlie was ordered to pay her $55,000 a month in child support in legal documents obtained by In Touch.

What brand of shirts did Charlie Harper wear? ›

Charlie's Shirts is a Bowling shirts collection of classic retro style shirts. Above all Charlies shirts are best known because of Charlie Sheen in the TV show “Two and a Half Men”. The character Charlie Harper wore these Bowling Shirt as his trademark style.

Who did Charlie Sheen give $100000 to? ›

But when Sheen asked Lohan what she was earning and she replied only $100,000, the numbers didn't add up.

What year was Charlie Sheen the highest paid actor? ›

In 2010, Charlie Sheen was recognized as the highest paid actor in the country.

How much did Berta make per episode? ›

Conchata Ferrell appeared in over 200 episodes of "Two and a Half Men" between 2003 and 2015. At her peak she earned a salary of $150,000 per episode. That worked out to around $3.3 million per season.

Who got paid the most on Two and a Half Men? ›

However, nothing quite compares to Charlie Sheen's final days on the show, when he was making almost 2 million dollars per episode. He was, not shockingly, the highest-paid television actor at the peak of his salary and time on this series.

How much did Ashton Kutcher make per episode of Two and a Half Men? ›

Major Money

With that in mind, it makes all the sense in the world that Ashton Kutcher was paid $755,000 for each Two and Half Men episode he starred in according to Eonline.com. Far from the only way Ashton Kutcher made money from starring in Two and a Half Men, his salary was just a jumping-off point.

What actor made the most money per episode? ›

According to the report, Kevin Costner is possibly the highest-paid actor on TV, taking home $1.3 million per episode for his performance in Yellowstone.

Do actors get residuals forever? ›

So, do all actors get paid for reruns? According to the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, some do, and some don't. For principal performers, royalties can lead to long-term payoffs that trump the original salary.

Did Charlie Sheen sell his royalties? ›

Sheen sells profit rights to 'Two and a Half Men', seeks to cut $55,000-a-month child support payment. LOS ANGELES (AP) — Charlie Sheen has sold his profit participation rights to comedy series "Two and a Half Men" for nearly $27 million.

How much does Jon Cryer get for reruns? ›

After the show concluded, all the stars got dividends for each rerun and Jon Cryer is entitled up to $20 million, which depends entirely on how long every network decides to run the show.

Does Charlie Sheen get royalties from reruns? ›

Does Sheen still receive residuals from 'Two and a Half Men'? Even after being fired from Two and a Half Men, Sheen received royalties from the show—$100 million, in fact.

How much royalties do actors get for reruns? ›

While the exact amount isn't actually known, cast members have revealed that the reruns pay them 6% of their original salaries. If a star made a mere $150,000 per episode across all 20 seasons, that would come in around $200,000 per year in royalties.

What is Jake from Two and a Half Men's net worth? ›

Due to his early acting roles and his 10 seasons on Two And A Half Men, Jones' net worth is said to be about $20 million.

Did Alan and Charlie get along in real life? ›

Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer had a deep-rooted relationship based not only on their time on the set of Two And A Half Men, but off-set as well. The two were very close for quite some time, but their relationship broke down in front of the world when Charlie Sheen started to self destruct and lose control over his life.

Why did Rose leave Two and a Half Men? ›

Melanie Lynskey left Two and a Half Men because according to her the sitcom was not what she wanted to continue to do as it took the majority of her time and left no room for other projects. Adding to this, the makers were paying her pretty low even after being a main cast member of the show.

Who is richest actor in the world? ›

Top 10 Richest Actors in the World
  • Tyler Perry.
  • Dwayne Johnson. Net Worth: $800 million. ...
  • Tom Cruise. Net Worth: $620 million. ...
  • Shah Rukh Khan. Net Worth: $600 million. ...
  • Jackie Chan. Net Worth: $520 million. ...
  • George Clooney. Net Worth: $500 million. ...
  • Robert De Niro. Net Worth: $500 million. ...
  • Arnold Schwarzenegger. Net Worth: $450 million. ...
Apr 12, 2023

What did Charlie do with the money he found? ›

Charlie takes the money and runs to the store to purchase a chocolate bar.

Who makes the most from reruns? ›

Here's How Much The Cast Of Popular TV Shows Makes From The Reruns Of The Show
  • 8 Friends.
  • 7 Seinfeld.
  • 6 Gilligan's Island.
  • 5 Everybody Loves Raymond.
  • 4 I Love Lucy.
  • 3 Two and a Half Men.
  • 2 SpongeBob SquarePants.
  • 1 The Big Bang Theory.
Jan 2, 2022

What ethnicity is Charlie Sheen? ›

His paternal grandparents were emigrants from Galicia (Spain) and Ireland, respectively. Sheen said in 2011 that his father was Catholic and his mother was Southern Baptist. He has two older brothers, Emilio and Ramon, and a younger sister, Renée, all actors.

What watch did Charlie Harper wear? ›

Charlie used to wear a Rolex Yacht-Master Steel Platinum watch on Two and a Half Men. The reference 16622 combines a steel construction with a platinum rotatable time-lapse bezel. With a water resistance of up to 100m, it also offers water protection when worn aboard yachts and competing in regattas.

What shirts did Elvis wear? ›

Hawaiian and bowling shirts were all the rage in the US in the 1950s, but Elvis was partial to Cuban shirts, which became a menswear must after he started wearing them.

Does Charlie Sheen have to pay child support? ›

Charlie Sheen no longer has to pay Denise Richards child support. Per a minute order obtained by ET, the actor's request to stop paying his ex-wife child support for their two daughters -- Sami, 17, and Lola, 16 -- has been granted.

Who is the highest paid TV court judge? ›

One of the enduring mysteries of the last few decades is how Judy Sheindlin became the highest-paid woman on American television. Towards the end of Judge Judy's 25-year run, Sheindlin was hauling in $47m a year (her estimated net worth is about $440m).

Who is the highest paid TV personality? ›

1. Oprah Winfrey. Who is the highest paid talk show host? Apart from being the richest talk show host on this list, Oprah Winfrey also happens to be the highest paid TV personality in 2021.

What TV star makes the most money? ›

Today, Costner is the highest-paid TV actor in the world, thanks to his role in Paramount's neo-western drama Yellowstone.

Do the actors get paid for reruns? ›

When shows are syndicated, redistributed, released on DVD, purchased by a streaming service or otherwise used beyond what the actors were originally paid for, those actors get residual checks called royalties.

Why did Berta leave the show? ›

Charlie's housekeeper Berta (Conchata Ferrell) quits because Alan keeps criticizing her housekeeping skills.

How much did Ted Danson make an episode? ›

As for his salary, Ted Danson earned around $450,000 per episode in the final seasons of Cheers, which totals at around $12 million per season. Factoring in inflation, that is the same as earning $25 million per season in the current day. During his time at CSI, he had a salary of $250,000 per episode.

How much did the kid get paid on Two and a Half Men? ›

He was the highest paid child actor of the time, earning $300,000 per episode, Angus T. Jones, who played Jake Harper in 'Two and a Half Men', has reappeared completely unrecognisable.

How much money did Angus T. Jones make from Two and a Half Men? ›

By the time he was 17, Angus T. Jones — flanked by Charlie Sheen, left, and Jon Cryer — was making $300,000 per episode on "Two and a Half Men."

How much does Melanie Lynskey make per episode? ›

Melanie Lynskey's Sources of Income

Her earnings per episode have been estimated to be in the range of $200,000 to $300,000. Notably, for her portrayal in the sitcom "Two and a Half Men," she garnered a salary of $300,000 per episode.

How much does Mila Kunis make per episode? ›

How much does Mila Kunis make per episode? Having two hit shows under her belt, That '70s Show and Family Guy, Mila Kunis should be able to negotiate a pretty penny for her tv appearances. It has been estimated that she earns around $150,000 per episode of television that she appears in.

What happened to Jake of Two and a Half Men? ›

Personal life. Jones attended University of Colorado Boulder after departing Two and a Half Men. As of 2016, Jones is no longer a member of faith-based “business-model” organizations, and has expressed an interest in returning to acting.

How much do guest stars get paid? ›

The pay is called “top-of-show.” That's the most a show will pay for a guest star actor, unless that person is a name. On network TV, the rate for a one-hour drama is currently $9,522 (eight days of work) and half-hour comedies pay $5,951 (five days of work).

How much does Mariska Hargitay make per episode? ›

Mariska Hargitay reportedly earns $500,000 per episode for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU, putting her in the top tier of actor salaries on TV.

Why is Kaley Cuoco rich? ›

While the star first rose to fame playing Penny on the CBS sitcom, she raked in way more than pennies for her breakout role. As one of the highest-paid actresses in television, Cuoco made millions—and fulfilled her dreams.

Who replaced Charlie Sheen on two? ›

Done deal: Ashton Kutcher replaces Charlie Sheen on 'Two and a Half Men'

When was Charlie Sheen last season two and a half? ›

The eighth season of Two and a Half Men premiered on September 20, 2010, and finished on February 14, 2011, and was the last season with Charlie Sheen as its main star.

Will there be a season 13 of Two and a Half Men? ›

The twelfth and final season of Two and a Half Men premiered on October 30, 2014.

How much did Rose get paid for Two and a Half Men? ›

2. How much did she make on Two and a Half Men? According to Screenrant, the New Zealand actress made around $200,000 per episode when she first appeared as a supporting character.

Did Rose keep Charlie in a pit? ›

While in Paris, Rose caught Charlie in bed with a hooker, a mime and a goat. She tried to avenge his infidelity by pushing him into the path of an oncoming train, but the goat took the fall instead. Rose imprisoned Charlie in her dungeon until he escaped.

Why did Melanie Lynskey leave Two and a Half? ›

Melanie Lynskey Felt Undervalued and Underpaid

She soon discovered that her pay was far from ideal; in fact, according to SAG (Screen Actors Guild), the show was paying her the lowest fee possible. Considering our awareness surrounding feminist issues in recent years, this is unfortunately not too surprising.

Who turned down Two and a Half Men? ›

Hugh Grant Turned Down $6 Million Offer to Replace Charlie Sheen Because He Didn't Have Faith in Two and a Half Men Creators. The American sitcom Two and a Half Men ran for 12 years before shutting down for good in 2015.

When did Ashton Kutcher replace Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men? ›

Production on Two and a Half Men's eighth season never resumed, and by the time the show returned for Season 9 that September, Sheen had been replaced by Ashton Kutcher, playing Internet billionaire Walden Schmidt, who bought Charlie Harper's beach house after Harper fell on the subway tracks in Paris and was killed by ...

When did Jake leave two and a half? ›

Angus T. Jones is a former child actor from Austin, Texas. He is mainly remembered for playing co-protagonist Jake Harper in the first 10 seasons of the hit sitcom "Two and a Half Men". He played the role regularly for a decade, from 2003 to 2013.

Why is Jake not in season 11 Two and a Half? ›

A source told Us Weekly that Angus instead wants to focus on music. 'They tried really hard to keep him, but he was just done done,' the source said. He has been acting in the show since 2003, when he was just 10 years old.

Is Alan the father of Judith's baby? ›

He and his ex-wife, Judith, are Jake's parents. Alan is also possibly the biological father of Judith's second child, a daughter named Millie Melnick. He moves in with Charlie after losing his house to Judith in the divorce.

Did Alan end up with Lindsey? ›

The conversation (for unknown reasons) leads to Lyndsey and Kandi having sex, and afterward Lyndsey says "Alan can never find out about this. " which Kandi agreed with. Towards the end of the season, Lyndsey breaks up with Alan when the spark in their relationship is gone.

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