Charlie Sheen’s exit from Two and a Half Men paved the way for Ashton Kutcher to join the sitcom, but not before others were considered for the role.
Sheen starred on the show from 2003 to 2011 before he was infamously fired after exhibiting erratic behavior and making disparaging remarks about the show’s creator, Chuck Lorre. He was replaced by Ashton Kutcher, who took on a different leading role to keep the show afloat.
However, Kutcher may not have been the first choice to replace Sheen.
In a new interview with E! News, Lorre revealed: “We had several meetings with Hugh Grant and Lee Aronsohn and I, my partner on that project, wrote several scenes to show him what we thought might be a character that he would play — very much like a Hugh Grant type of character.”
Lorre also noted in his new memoir, Sitcom, that Grant was offered $750,000 per episode and a four-day work week.
Grant was “on board for a moment,” Lorre told the publication. But it didn’t work out.
“When it came time to sign a contract and proceed, he bailed. He just bailed,” Lorre continued. “I've never spoken with him since that time. Just some agent or manager called and said, ‘Mr. Grant doesn't want to do this.’”
The Independent has contacted a representative for Grant for comment.
Lorre spoke to then-president of CBS Les Moonves after the deal fell through, saying, “I guess the show is over.”
However, Moonves urged Lorre to meet with Kutcher instead.
“He was sharp and funny and just a genuinely wonderful human being,” Lorre told E! News. “We wound up doing four years with Ashton and we had a lot of fun. And there was absolutely no drama, no crisis. We got to put on a funny show every week with Ashton. So, that was kind of a blessing.”
Kutcher joined a cast that included Jon Cryer, Angus T. Jones, Conchata Ferrell, Melanie Lynskey, Holland Taylor and Marin Hinkle. The series ran for four more seasons after Sheen’s exit.
Lorre, for his part, is often referred to as the “King of Sitcoms” thanks to a successful multi-decade career helping to create hit shows including The Big Bang Theory and Mom.
He discusses his career at length in his memoir, Sitcom, which is slated to be released October 13.