Charlie Sheen no longer cashing in on ‘Two and a Half Men’ reruns — it got worse after selling his rights

When people think of actors making money, they often imagine the initial payout from their roles in a blockbuster movie or TV show. However, actors also get paid long after filming stops. One who became known for this is Charlie Sheen, who made millions for starring in TV hit Two and a Half Men. How much are reruns paying the actor?

Through royalty payments, actors receive money after a TV show has been put on DVD, redistributed, or picked up by a streaming service. According to FilmTrack, royalties range between 1 and 20 percent of the show's revenue (and sometimes more, depending on what the involved parties agree upon).

When it first began airing, Two and a Half Men attracted millions of fans, surpassing 14 million viewers each season. Needless to say, the sitcom was very successful. During Sheen's last season alone, he was reportedly paid $1.8 million per episode. But the gravy train came to a screeching halt when Sheen found himself in hot water with the show.

Two and a Half Men's executives showed Sheen the door, citing his "dangerously self-destructive conduct," and him calling the producer and co-creator a "stupid, stupid little man" and "clown." Sheen had struggled with drugs and was forced to return to rehab after being pulled over by police in Los Angeles. It was revealed that Sheen had abused cocaine and prescription medication.

In 2011, a statement regarding Sheen's behavior and firing was released by Warner Bros. Television: "After careful consideration, Warner Bros. Television has terminated Charlie Sheen's services on Two and a Half Men effective immediately."

Even after being fired from Two and a Half Men, Sheen received royalties from the show—$100 million, in fact. However, this payment was short-lived, as Sheen sold his participation rights for $27 million in 2016. This move was revealed later that year, when Sheen took his ex-wife Brooke Mueller to court to lower his child support payments.

It was suggested that Sheen sold his rights to get a lower payment assigned. Up until his filing, Sheen paid $55,000 per month in child support, but after selling his rights, his monthly income dropped from $600,000 to $167,000. Despite the money he was making, Sheen was over $12 million in debt.

As of 2022, the former Two and a Half Men actor had an estimated net worth of $10 million.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 7, 2022. It has since been updated.