Jon Cryer Compares Charlie Sheen to Dictator in Netflix Documentary

LOS ANGELES, CA – Jon Cryer, best known for his role in the sitcom Two and a Half Men, recently shared candid reflections on his former co-star Charlie Sheen in the Netflix documentary aka Charlie Sheen, released on September 10, 2025. Cryer described the struggles Sheen faced leading up to his dismissal from the series.

During the documentary, Cryer revealed that he was paid “a third” of what Sheen made during their 12-season run. He explained that, despite his own stable life at the time, Sheen was getting an astonishing salary hike amid his personal issues. “He’s in the midst of falling apart in every way that I can imagine, and he’s renegotiating his contract for another year of a show that I’m supposed to be on too,” Cryer stated.

Cryer went on to draw a provocative comparison between Sheen and North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il. He noted that both figures gained leverage due to their erratic behavior, which resulted in substantial rewards. “The dictator of North Korea acted crazy all the time and thus got enormous amounts of aid from countries who were so scared of him that they would shovel money at him. Well, that’s what happened here,” he said. “His negotiations went off the charts because his life was falling apart.”

Two and a Half Men, which aired on CBS from 2003 to 2015, featured Cryer as Alan Harper, who moves in with Sheen’s character, Charlie Harper, after a divorce. When Sheen was ultimately removed from the show following his public breakdowns, the series faced significant shifts in production and creative direction.

Sheen’s personal struggles peaked in 2011 when he publicly criticized CBS and the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre, which led to his firing. During that tumultuous time, Sheen made headlines for his erratic statements, claiming to possess ‘tiger blood’ and describing himself as a ‘rock star from Mars.’

Cryer also mentioned that CBS had already pre-sold seasons of the show, which pressured them to invest heavily in Sheen’s escalating salary demands. Despite his significant salary of $1.9 million per episode during the series, Cryer maintained that his earnings were significantly lower.

In reflecting on their complicated relationship, Cryer expressed his ambivalence about participating in the documentary. “I worked with Charlie Sheen for eight years,” he said, acknowledging the challenging history. Sheen, who has since overcome many of his past issues, expressed gratitude for Cryer’s honesty and compassion during that difficult time.

Sheen remarked, “When I saw everything that Jon spoke about so honestly, I said, ‘Hey, thank you for your contributions, and I’m sorry we didn’t connect personally.’”

The documentary aka Charlie Sheen is now available for streaming on Netflix.