Charlie Sheen, known for his role in the hit sitcom Two and a Half Men, experienced a career decline marked by the loss of his role on the popular show. While several factors contributed to his downfall, his substance abuse is often cited as a major reason.
His co-star Jon Cryer later revealed that Sheen’s addiction worsened after his split from Denise Richards, someone who has also been held responsible by Sheen’s fans for turning his life upside down.
Jon Cryer on Charlie Sheen’s Struggles with Drug Addiction Following His Divorce
Jon Cryer shared the screen with Charlie Sheen as Alan Harper in Two and a Half Men before he was replaced by Ashton Kutcher in Season 9. Sheen was fired from the sitcom in 2011 due to self-destructive behavior and derogatory remarks about the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre, among other controversies.
Despite the tumultuous end to Sheen’s time on the show, Cryer fondly recalled their early years working together. “Charlie and I really hit it off,” he said, as per Entertainment Weekly.
We had a great first few years on that show — It was incredibly smooth, we had a lovely time, it was working really well.
Further into his conversation, he also discussed Sheen’s struggles with drug addiction, noting that the actor’s substance abuse intensified following his split from Denise Richards.
At first he could handle it, and he was still incredibly professional—and still lovely, by the way, to everybody on set—but you could just see that stuff was wearing on him.
In the late 2000s, the Anger Management star was involved in a series of drug-related incidents. Cryer described the experience of working at the time as crazy, calling it “one of the first internet s—storms.”
Although Cryer admitted that some aspects of working during that period were difficult, he expressed gratitude for the positive experiences and memorable moments shared on the show.
Denise Richards Was Unaware of Charlie Sheen’s Issues With Substance Abuse
Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards initially met while filming the 2001 film, Good Advice. Their relationship began after Richards made a guest appearance on Sheen’s series Spin City in 2001.
They got married in 2002 and welcomed their two daughters, Sam Sheen and Lola Rose Sheen. However, their relationship faced difficulties, and Richards filed for divorce citing irreconcilable differences. While they tried working it out, the couple eventually separated in 2006.
In an appearance on Bethenny Frankel’s Just B podcast, Richards discussed her relationship with Sheen, revealing that she was unaware of his addiction struggles at the beginning of their relationship.
“He was sober, and a completely different person. So that’s who I met,” she said, noting that while she knew of his past issues, he seemed to have overcome them when they first met.
She also stated that she “wouldn’t have dated him if I met when he… deep into his addiction.” She also discussed when her ex-husband relapsed following their split, leading to his exit from the sitcom.
“[It was] extremely disheartening,” she said, talking about their split. Since then, Sheen has achieved sobriety and has acknowledged the difficulties of looking back at his past struggles. The actor has been working towards reviving his acting career with an appearance in the TV show Bookie.
Two and a Half Men is available to stream on Prime Video.
