Why Holland Taylor Left Two And A Half Men

Even though many would argue that the show ran a season or two too long, there's no denying that "Two and a Half Men" was one of the most successful sitcoms of its day. Much of that success revolved around how the characters played off each other, and while Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer had the most screen time as brothers Charlie and Alan Harper, Holland Taylor, who played their mother, Evelyn Harper, made every one of her moments on screen count.

She didn't play the role in the original pilot, but it didn't take long for Taylor to excel as the self-absorbed mother of Charlie and Alan. Her appearances became instant hits with fans and critics, who loved her in the role. But at the end of Season 6, Taylor made the rather surprising decision to leave the show as a regular cast member, much to the disappointment of viewers. Appearing on the Alchemy with Anthony Mason podcast, she revealed that the decision came down to money.

"They never paid me very well on that show," Taylor said. "I was paid on that show what I had made on a series like eight years before or something. And I got four Emmy nominations, and they never gave me a raise. They usually do. I loved a lot about that show, but they were not full of courtesies." This echoes comments made by Melanie Lynskey and Jon Cryer, both of whom have stated that they made less money than most people seem to think while working on "Two and a Half Men."

After the sixth season of "Two and a Half Men," Holland Taylor continued to appear but only on a guest star basis. On the Alchemy with Anthony Mason podcast, she said that when she told producers the news they thought it was a bargaining tactic and insisted they couldn't pay her any more money. "I said, 'You could actually pay me the cost of this building, but don't bother because I don't want to continue on under contract.' And they said, 'But we can't afford to give you more.' I said, 'I'm cool with it. I just will come back as a guest from time to time.'"

Taylor went on to say that not being under contract with "Two and a Half Men" afforded her a lot more freedom, which she often exercised. "They would say, 'Can you do a guest appearance at the end of March?' And I would say, 'No, I cannot.' I only did it if I wanted to do it." The show would continue for another six seasons, though more cast changes were on the horizon: Disagreements between Charlie Sheen and creator Chuck Lorre led to Sheen getting fired following Season 8. Ashton Kutcher took over as a new lead character, but the sitcom never really recovered.