Jon Cryer is navigating a new chapter in his relationship with Charlie Sheen, his former co-star from "Two and a Half Men." The two actors, who shared the screen for eight seasons, have seen their bond evolve over the years.
In a recent appearance on "The View," Cryer discussed his involvement in the Netflix documentary “aka Charlie Sheen,” which delves into Sheen's tumultuous life and career. “It was interesting,” he remarked, revealing his mixed emotions about participating in the project. “I had a lot of mixed feelings about being a part of that because obviously he’s a very complicated guy and we had a complicated relationship. But mostly I realized that I wasn’t mad at him anymore: I was still kind of mad at America.”
Sheen's departure from the show in 2011 followed a series of public meltdowns and conflicts with creator Chuck Lorre. During this chaotic period, Sheen labeled Cryer a “turncoat” for not supporting him amid his struggles with addiction.
Ashton Kutcher stepped in to fill Sheen's role for the final four seasons, while the series concluded in 2015. Reflecting on the public's fascination with Sheen's downward spiral, Cryer expressed his discomfort: “I knew him as a friend, as a coworker, so it was really painful to see all that and see that craziness and see a lot of people enjoying it.”
Cryer emphasized the importance of sharing his perspective in the documentary, which features candid accounts from those close to Sheen. “And I thought, ‘Well okay, if the time is to be honest, let’s be honest,’” he stated, noting that the film reveals “a lot of who he is.”
The documentary explores Sheen's career highs and lows, including his notorious battles with addiction. Cryer recounted a moment when Sheen reached out post-documentary to express gratitude: “He did text me afterward at one point to say ‘Thanks for doing it.'”
Despite their rocky past, Cryer remains open to mending their friendship. “Yeah, I would,” he affirmed. “It’s funny because every now and then an article comes out that we’re arguing, and it’s just not the case.”
In the documentary, Cryer also revealed the stark contrast in their earnings during their time on "Two and a Half Men." While Sheen commanded nearly two million dollars per episode in his final year, Cryer earned about $550,000. After Sheen's exit, Cryer's salary increased to $620,000 per episode.
Cryer attributed Sheen's inflated contract negotiations to his personal turmoil: “The dictator of North Korea was a guy named Kim Jong-Il,” he explained. “He acted crazy all the time and thus got enormous amounts of aid from countries who were so scared of him that they would shovel money at him. Well, that’s what happened here.”
Last month, Sheen expressed appreciation for Cryer's participation in the documentary. “It was very sweet, very cool that everybody showed up like they did,” he said. “They could have easily said, ‘Go f–k yourself. I’m not interested.’ But they didn’t.”
When asked about their current connection, Sheen remarked, “I don’t like to bother people. But I think Jon would be open to that. Jon’s a lovely man and a very talented guy.”
