Charlie Sheen’s time on Two and a Half Men remains one of the most talked-about chapters in TV history—not only because of his controversial exit, but also due to the jaw-dropping salary he commanded per episode.
Charlie Sheen’s Eight-Year Run on the Sitcom
Sheen starred in Two and a Half Men for eight years, across eight successful seasons, before being dismissed from the show in 2011. At the height of his fame, he became the highest-paid actor on television, earning nearly $2 million per episode.
Jon Cryer, Sheen’s long-time co-star, recently revealed more about those sky-high earnings in the new documentary aka Charlie Sheen. According to Cryer, the pay gap between them was staggering.
Jon Cryer Reveals the Salary Discrepancy
Cryer compared Sheen’s contract negotiations to “going off the charts” because of his turbulent personal life. While Sheen was reportedly earning close to $2 million per episode, Cryer was paid significantly less—about one-third of that amount.
“I got a third of what Charlie was making,” Cryer explained. “Only after he left the show did my salary increase to around $620,000 per episode.”
Why Charlie Sheen Left Two and a Half Men
Sheen’s departure followed a highly publicized fallout with the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre, as well as his own struggles with alcohol and drugs. Reflecting later in an interview with Katie Couric, Sheen admitted that his lifestyle had begun to interfere with the series:
“I think I just started partying too hard. I was having way too much fun… the show was getting in the way of my social life.”
Despite insisting he never worked while under the influence, Sheen confessed that he prioritized traveling and partying over his career responsibilities.
Life After Two and a Half Men
Following Sheen’s exit, Ashton Kutcher stepped in to replace him, and the show continued for another four seasons. Meanwhile, Sheen has since turned his life around and has been sober for nearly a decade.
Looking back, Sheen acknowledged that while he gave up enormous sums of money, his personality and excesses often led him to “take things too far.”
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