Jon Cryer is opening up about one of the most turbulent chapters in his career on Two and a Half Men and the chaos surrounding Charlie Sheen’s 2011 firing from the hit CBS sitcom, and specifically, their salaries.
In Netflix’s new documentary aka Charlie Sheen, released Sept. 10, Cryer recalled the shocking contrast between Sheen’s personal struggles and his professional success.
“He’s in the midst of falling apart in every way I can imagine,” Cryer said, reflecting on Sheen’s very public battle with addiction.
“And he’s renegotiating his contract for another year of a show that I’m supposed to be on too.”
Cryer even compared the situation to late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, saying Sheen’s erratic behavior reminded him of how some countries, “so scared of him,” would hand over money simply to keep peace.
“Well, that’s what happened here,” Cryer explained. “His negotiations went off the charts because his life was falling apart. Me, whose life was pretty good at that time, I got a third of that.”
At the height of his contract talks, Sheen was securing staggering paychecks. Forbes reported in 2011 that the actor received a bump of about $600,000, bringing his salary to $1.9 million per 22-minute episode.
For the 16 episodes he filmed during season eight before being fired, Sheen earned more than $30 million.
After his dismissal in March 2011, he went on to sue Warner Bros. and creator Chuck Lorre for $100 million, ultimately settling for $25 million later that year.
Sheen’s downfall at the time was highly publicized.
In the weeks following a stint in rehab and ahead of his firing, the actor made headlines for bizarre livestreams and interviews where he famously boasted about having “tiger blood,” referred to himself as a “high priest Vatican warlock,” and called himself a “total fricking rock star from Mars.”
Now 60, Sheen has reflected on that period with regret.
Speaking to PEOPLE on Sept. 3, he admitted, “I regret that specifically still. If I hadn’t done what I had, I could be living a different life right now. All my problems wouldn’t be what they are. But you just don’t know that.”
While he has worked toward sobriety and focused on repairing past damage, Sheen admitted the process has been ongoing.
“Forgiveness is still an evolving thing,” he said.
“I still get what I call the ‘shame shivers.’ These are the moments that hit me, of the heinous memories and choices and consequences. They’re getting farther in between, so I guess that’s progress.”
Even as he continues making peace with his past, Sheen said the support he’s received from others has been encouraging.
“Hey yeah, we’re good man, but we hope you’ve also forgiven yourself,” is what many people have told him, a reminder that his journey toward self-forgiveness is still unfolding.