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Two and a Half Men is a cult classic, famed and love for the eccentric characters and tongue-in-cheek humor played by stars including Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, Angus T. Jones and later, Ashton Kutcher. But what made the show more addictive were the numerous scandals the stars were embroiled in over the years. From liaisons with prostitutes to a war of *very threatening* words on Twitter, it seems the dysfunctional dynamics seen on-screen also played out in real life.
Despite the popularity of the show, frontman Sheen was eventually sacked after making headlines for all the wrong reasons. We're taking a closer look at the explosive personal lives these stars lived during the course of the show and delving into the hectic headlines that emerged from behind the scenes.
10 Jon Cryer And Charlie Sheen Hired Women of The Night
Although Charlie Sheen has been at the helm of some of Hollywood's most infamous and toxic scandals, Jon Cryer was no stranger to drama during the show's duration. In 2004, Cryer stumbled through a public divorce from British wife Sarah Trigger. Spilling in his memoir (shared via The Hollywood Reporter) Cryer shared how his divorce left him "an emotional basketcase" who "didn’t feel dateable." Cryer liaised with Charlie, who "suggested a few online purveyors he used, as this was when prostitution was gaining a foothold on the Internet."
9 Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen's Love Triangle
After Cryer decided to start pursuing more traditional romance again, he met a woman he referred to only as Stephanie. After dating for some time, Cryer brought her to the set of Two and a Half Men where it become clear that Stephanie and Sheen were already acquainted. Eventually, the truth was outed. Sheen had not only dated Stephanie in the past but tried to convince her to have a threesome, after which Stephanie left Sheen high and dry. Cryer subsequently ended things with Stephanie because her past with Sheen should have been "upfront information."
8 Jon Cryer Hid Charlie Sheen's Stash On Set
Jon and Charlie were a devious duo on and off-screen. During a surprise on-set visit from Sheen’s then-wife Denise Richards, Charlie rushed to Jon for help. The issue? Charlie held a bag that he claimed was his “stash” of explicit content and asked Cryer to hide it from Richards. Cryer obliged, most likely saving Sheen from any further trouble - on that day, at least.
7 Sheen Faced Accusations Of Domestic Abuse
Multiple allegations of domestic abuse have been made against Sheen. The first allegation surfaced in 2006 during a bitter custody battle between Sheen and his now ex-wife Denise Richards. During the battle, Richards claimed that Sheen had verbally and physically abused her, even threatening to kill her. The authorities took the allegations seriously, issuing a restraining order against Sheen. But in 2009, Sheen was arrested for similar abuse allegations from his third wife Brooke Mueller.
6 Charlie Sheen Was Rewarded For Bad Behavior
Despite the many public scandals that rocked the production of Two and a Half Men, the actor's salary swelled. Us Today reports that when Sheen first signed onto the series, he was paid $300,000 per episode. In May 2010, shortly after his arrest for domestic abuse, Sheen's salary jumped to $1.8 million per episode. Sheen became the highest-paid actor on TV at the time, even earning more than his slightly less problematic 'brother' Cryer who was making $600,000 per episode at the time.
5 Angus T. Jones Had Dark Secrets Off-Screen
Despite his aloof performance as Alan's son/ Charlie's nephew, Jones has a turbulent family history. Not only did his uncle, Eric Claypool, shoot a man (he's subsequently serving a 99-year prison sentence) but both his parents had run-ins with the law. His mom punched a cop while intoxicated and later arrested for burglary, while Angus’ dad found trouble for unlicensed firearms.
4 Jones' Substance Abuse
Jones found enormous success from a young age, sadly becoming exposed to the unsavory side of fame. Speaking in a 'confession video' shared by CBS, Jones admitted that started experimenting with drugs to escape the pressures of life, during his time as a junior and a senior in high school.
3 The Show Interfered With Jones's Faith
Jones found God during his teens but his newfound faith also triggered a rebuttal of his sitcom. Talking to The Forerunner Chronicles, he urged listeners: "If you watch 'Two and a Half Men,' please stop watching'" since it was "filling [their heads] with filth." Jones reeled off more insults, declaring "You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that."
2 Ashton Kutcher Was Bribed With Money
Despite the scandals bubbling up from the cast, Ashton Kutcher was drafted in as Walden Schmidt, a new frontman to replace the bachelor-shaped hole Sheen left following his departure in 2011. According to ScreenRant, Kutcher was initially reluctant to take the role but when an offer of $700K+ per episode was floated by, the money was too good to pass up and he had a change of heart.
1 Kutcher And Sheen Didn't Meet On Good Terms
Given the number of scandals Sheen generated during the shows it was understandable that the producers ran out of patience, sacked Sheen and cast Kutcher. Initially, Sheen kept quiet about his replacement but when the show's ratings dropped as a result of Sheen's actions, he turned on Kutcher, telling him via Twitter to stop ruining “his” show. Kutcher retaliated but Sheen had the last word, threatening Kutcher by telling him that if he spoke back again, he would put him on "hospital food diet for a year."