Chuck Lorre Defended Jon Cryer for Two and a Half Men

Jon Cryer's casting in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men faced resistance from network executives before the comedy premiered in 2003, according to creator Chuck Lorre's memoir, Sitcom. Despite concerns that Cryer's previous television failures would hurt the production, Lorre supported the actor, who later won two Emmy Awards for playing Alan Harper alongside Charlie Sheen.

Lorre recounts that CBS casting chief Peter Golden warned him against choosing Cryer for the role. At the time, Cryer had appeared in four short-lived sitcoms, none of which lasted beyond one season, prompting executives to question his suitability for another comedy series.

Golden delivered the network's position during a telephone conversation with Lorre about casting Alan Harper.

"Just be warned, we don't want to hear the words 'Jon Cryer,'" Peter Golden, CBS's head of casting, told Lorre, according to the memoir.

Lorre had previously worked with Cryer on the unsuccessful 1997 ABC pilot It's Good to Be King and the sitcom Dharma & Greg, where Cryer played an ex-boyfriend of Dharma, portrayed by Jenna Elfman. Those experiences had left Lorre with a positive impression of the actor.

Lorre explains that Cryer's earlier television record drove the network's skepticism about his casting.

"I was told ... yep, you know where this is going ... (Cryer) was the death of comedy," Lorre writes in Sitcom.

He then describes how executives blamed Cryer for the poor performance of several previous television projects, despite the actor's eventual success in a leading sitcom role.

"He'd been cast on several failed pilots and series, ergo he must be to blame. All by himself. Jon Cryer, the beloved Duckie in 'Pretty in Pink,' was the death of comedy," Lorre writes.

With encouragement from his casting director, Lorre pushed for Cryer to audition before skeptical CBS executives, including network chairman and CEO Les Moonves. Cryer's performance demonstrated strong chemistry with Sheen, prompting Lorre to applaud during the audition.

Moonves questioned the response, according to Lorre's account.

"Really? Applause?" Moonves asked, as described in the memoir.

Lorre maintained that Cryer had delivered the performance he wanted, despite the executive's apparent displeasure.

"You saw what I saw, he was great," Lorre recalls replying to Moonves.

Moonves eventually allowed the casting to proceed, telling Lorre he would give him "enough rope," according to the memoir. The pilot succeeded, and Two and a Half Men became a major CBS hit.

The series ran for 12 seasons and 262 episodes. Cryer won two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Alan Harper, including his second award in 2012, one year after Sheen was fired from the show.

Lorre's memoir also describes the difficulties surrounding Sheen's final period on the production, including incidents involving alleged personal misconduct and excuses for missing filming. Sheen's departure marked a major transition for the sitcom, but Cryer continued in his role.

Cryer later reflected on his eight years working with Sheen in Netflix's 2025 documentary aka Charlie Sheen. His remarks referenced the changes in his appearance over that period.

"I worked with Charlie Sheen for eight years," Cryer said in the documentary.

He followed the observation with a joke about how he looked when the working relationship began compared with its later years.

"And if you wonder what it's like to work with Charlie Sheen for eight years, when I started, I had hair," Cryer said.

After Sheen's departure, Ashton Kutcher joined the sitcom and appeared in 84 episodes across its final four seasons. Two and a Half Men concluded its run in 2015.