Charlie Sheen’s net worth is far from what the actor was worth during the height of his career. Here’s why.
You might recognize the name Charlie Sheen probably from his hit comedy series “Two and a Half Men” or his various eye-raising controversies. Whatever brought his name to your attention, Sheen has been in the spotlight since he made his acting debut at nine.
The youngster starred as an extra in the renowned TV film “The Execution of Private Slovik” in 1974. His father, a veteran actor Martin Sheen also starred in the film. As a teenager, Sheen produced and directed a string of low-budget film shorts with childhood friends Rob Lowe and Sean Penn, who also became future stars.
However, a glimpse of what controversial life awaited Sheen happened while he was still in high school. The youngster was expelled from Santa Monica High School just a few weeks away from receiving his diploma.
Afterward, he turned all his attention towards acting and landed a role in the horror film “Grizzly II: The Predator.” Unfortunately, however, the movie was never released. That same year, Sheen made his adult cinematic debut in the invasion thriller “Red Dawn.” However, his breakthrough role came just a couple of years later.
The actor’s performance in Oliver Stone’s autobiographical war drama “Platoon” in 1986 earned him huge plaudits. Both fans and critics praised Sheen for his realistic portrayal of a young soldier’s tour of duty in Vietnam. The movie also won four Oscars, including Best Picture.
The following year he co-starred in Stone’s “Wall Street” as a ruthless protégé Bud Fox. The film was also successful, winning awards and being largely praised by critics.
Further Movie Success and “Two and a Half Men.”
Sheen teamed up with actors John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, and D. B Sweeney to star in the basketball scandal movie “Eight Men Out” in 1988. Two years later, the actor appeared in the action movies “Navy SEALS,” and “The Rookie.” Sheen then showed his flair for comedy in the fan-favorite film “Hot Shots,” in 1991.
In the late 1990s, Sheen started a production company with Bret Michaels, and the two collaborated on the TV film “No Code of Conduct.” Yet Sheen’s most popular and lucrative role came in 2003, when he landed a role as beleaguered bachelor Charlie Harper on the CBS sitcom “Two and a Half Men.” The series propelled him to global fame and earned him numerous awards, including Global Icon Award and ALMA Award.
Charlie Sheen’s Net Worth
During his time on “Two and a Half Men,” Charlie Sheen became the highest paid actor in Hollywood, repeatedly earning $1.25 million per episode. The actor also made a lot of money from his other movie roles. At the height of his career, Sheen was one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood.
However, a slew of bad decisions changed his fortunes. From being worth over $100 million, Charlie Sheen’s net worth is now a mere $10 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The actor made bad decisions and mismanaged his fortune, which is why his net worth looks like a shadow of what it used to be.
Sheen Was Fired From “Two and a Half Men.”
Unlike many actors who became legends on their popular and lucrative TV series, Sheen’s time on “Two and a Half Men” ended in a very ugly fashion. After debuting in 2003, “Two and a Half Men” went on a strong run, becoming one of the best TV series on CBS.
At the time, “Sheen” was the highest-paid actor on US television, and “Two and a Half Men” was the most popular comedy for CBS. However, things took a sad turn in 2011 when CBS disclosed they had fired the actor. In a statement released by Warner Bros. Television, the program makers noted:
“After careful consideration, Warner Bros. Television has terminated Charlie Sheen’s services on ‘Two and a Half Men’ effective immediately.”
Sheen allegedly got into an altercation with producer and co-creator Chuck Lorre, calling him a ‘clown’ and a ‘stupid, stupid little man.’ For the next weeks, after he was fired, the actor appeared on radio and TV interviews boasting that he was “winning” and had ‘tiger blood.”
TV executives stated that Sheen was taking drugs and alcohol, which he abused. His unconcerned demeanor about it was also endangering his life. According to CBS chief executive Les Moonves, the actor also refused to enter a rehab facility despite several attempts to get him in.
At the time he was fired, “Two and a Half Men” was attracting about 14 million U.S. viewers a week. The show was also a huge generator of revenue for CBS.
Charlie Sheen Lives With HIV
In November 2015, Sheen shocked fans when he went public with his HIV diagnosis. The actor waited four years to reveal the news after his first diagnosis. Sheen made bad life decisions, including spending half a million dollars on different prostitutes.
He was also using too much testosterone cream to keep his libido up, which ultimately had unintended consequences. However, two years after he went public with the news, Sheen explained he felt like he was carrying the torch for others battling the disease. He stated:
“I feel like I’m carrying the torch for a lot of folks out there that are suffering from the same thing. The day I was diagnosed, I immediately wanted to eat a bullet. But my mom was there; I wouldn’t do that in front of her or let her find me to clean up that mess.”
However, after he received a couple of medications and realized he would still live, the actor felt relief. According to him, his chances of living would be slimmer if he was diagnosed with brain cancer or a stomach thing. Meanwhile, sheen noted he felt grateful for the level of care he has received since being diagnosed with the disease. The actor joined the likes of basketball player Magic Johnson as stars who live with HIV.