After making headlines years ago with his Two and a Half Men exit, Charlie Sheen has been repairing his public image and career. Of course, his post-Two and a Half Men life was filled with difficulties that Sheen has put behind him in recent years. Now, with those events in the past, the actor got real about his sitcom star life and what changed for him during his time on the hit CBS sitcom.
The Two and a Half Men alum spoke with People about his new TV role after laying low for a few years. Viewers last saw Sheen on their screens via the Comedy Central sitcom Typical Rick, and he revealed that he stepped away to focus on his sobriety and raising his twin boys away from Hollywood. His TV return sees him reuniting with Chuck Lorre, which led him to recall the early years of the Emmy-nominated comedy. The Hollywood star said:
Look, for a while, there wasn't much about my life to complain about. I lived a life where people were really happy when I showed up, and they were sad when I left.
Charlie Sheen was the highest-paid TV actor during his TAAHM tenure. He notched multiple award nominations and wins, including two Golden Globes. However, things changed after the sitcom star started displaying erratic behavior on the set. Eventually, things came to a head when creator Chuck Lorre fired him, and replaced the Golden Globe-winning star with Ashton Kutcher for the final two seasons.
Sheen admitted his drug and alcohol addiction played a role in his changed behavior on the CBS comedy’s set. He referred to that time as a “possession.” Of course, the actor revealed “he still feels shame for his past behavior.” He delved into how his addiction changed his relationship with the sitcom’s cast and crew, saying:
That went away when everything turned to shit. It turned into, 'Oh, God. Here he comes,' and then 'Is he gone? Good.’
Wow! Viewers may or may not be surprised by that development after seeing Charlie Sheen’s campaign against Lorre and the show pre- and post-firing. No one wanted to see someone they respected and adored become a person they didn’t recognize.
His behavior didn’t just impact the show but his personal life as well. Sheen's ex-wife Denise Richards recalled the sitcom’s immense success affecting his sobriety, leading to their marriage ending. Former co-star Jon Cryer revealed that his co-star's addiction and firing almost led to the series being canceled before Kutcher was tapped to replace him.
Besides losing his weekly paycheck, Charlie Sheen’s relationship with Chuck Lorre imploded as the two men began a decade-long feud. Lorre remembered them being close friends during the CBS comedy’s early seasons. The sitcom impresario recalled things going down in a very dark and difficult path as they began feuding on set and in the press. Sheen called him a “clown” and “turd” at the height of their war of words.
However, after not speaking to each other for years, the Mom creator reached out to the Spin City star to “bury the hatchet” and guest-star on the former’s new show Bookie (currently available through a Max subscription). The 58-year-old actor admitted the two former adversaries were “beaming” during their on-set reunion. Maybe their reunion will lead the TV and film star and Lorre to reteam for another sitcom.
As Charlie Sheen patiently waits to see TV viewers’ reactions to his guest role, they can revisit his time as Charlie Harper by binging Two and a Half Men through a Peacock subscription. In the meantime, check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what returning and upcoming comedies are airing this winter.
