Melanie Lynskey has pushed back against an online claim that she earned between $200,000 and $300,000 in total for her work on “Two and a Half Men.”
Responding to a comment about her reported pay, Lynskey said the figure was inaccurate. She explained that she made roughly one tenth of that amount per episode, with her take-home pay reduced by about 50% after agents’, managers’ and business managers’ fees, as well as taxes.
Lynskey appeared in 63 episodes as Rose, Charlie’s neighbor and stalker. She said the job was financially important at the time, allowing her to pay her mortgage and bills while continuing to work in independent films and develop her career.
The actor said she was grateful for the opportunity but frustrated by claims that she had made millions from the sitcom. In a follow-up comment, she described the pay as “huge” for her when she joined the show at age 25, particularly after having struggled to make a living as an actor.
Lynskey also said “Two and a Half Men” was not her show and that she had been comfortable with her salary, although she disliked seeing it reported incorrectly. She added that Holland Taylor, who recently discussed her own contract on the sitcom, was a legend who deserved raises.
In a clip from the “Alchemy with Anthony Mason” podcast, Taylor said she allowed her contract to expire because she never received a raise. Taylor played Evelyn Harper and received four Emmy nominations for the role. She also said Jon Cryer quadrupled his salary when his contract was renewed, while she did not receive comparable treatment.
“Two and a Half Men” aired on CBS for 12 seasons from 2003 to 2015. Charlie Sheen was replaced by Ashton Kutcher before the ninth season.
Sources: Page Six.