Holland Taylor says ‘Two and a Half Men’ never gave her a raise despite four Emmy nominations

The actress continued appearing as Evelyn Harper after her six year contract ended, but only when she chose to

Holland Taylor has revealed that poor pay was a key reason she chose not to renew her contract on Two and a Half Men, despite earning four Emmy nominations for her performance on the long running CBS sitcom.

Taylor played Evelyn Harper, the mother of Charlie Harper, portrayed by Charlie Sheen, and Alan Harper, played by Jon Cryer. She appeared as a regular cast member for six years before deciding to step away from her contract.

Speaking on the Alchemy with Anthony Mason podcast, Taylor said her salary had remained at a level she had earned on a television series years earlier. She also expressed disappointment that her Emmy recognition did not lead to a pay rise.

“They never paid me very well on that show,” Taylor said, adding that she had received four supporting actress Emmy nominations during her time on the sitcom but had never been given a raise.

When her six year contract came to an end, Taylor told the production team she did not want to continue under the same arrangement. Instead, she offered to return for guest appearances when she felt like doing so.

The actress recalled that the producers were surprised by her decision and initially believed she was negotiating for better pay. She said they told her they could not afford to increase her salary, but insisted that money was not the point of her choice.

“I loved a lot about that show, but they were not full of courtesies,” she said, reflecting on her experience.

Taylor explained that leaving the contract gave her greater control over her schedule. She could accept guest appearances when convenient and decline them when she had other commitments.

Her departure from the regular cast did not mean she had completely severed ties with the sitcom. She returned occasionally as Evelyn, maintaining her connection to the characters and the series.

Two and a Half Men premiered in 2003 and ran for 12 seasons, ending in 2015.