Holland Taylor says she never got a raise on Two and a Half Men

Holland Taylor says pay helped push her off a hit sitcom. For six years Taylor was Evelyn Harper, mom to Charlie and Alan, on CBS's Two and a Half Men. The modest salary was one reason she quit, she said, per Variety.

She did not mince words. "They never paid me very well on that show."

Key facts

• Her run as Evelyn Harper lasted six years.
• Her pay matched an older series from about eight years prior, she said.
• Four Emmy nominations, zero raises, by her account.
• She did not sign on again after season six.
• Her comments came on the Alchemy with Anthony Mason podcast.
• She won an Emmy in 1999 for The Practice.
• She now plays Ma Mac in Apple TV's Brothers.

What Taylor said

Her salary there, she said, was about what an earlier series had paid her roughly eight years before.

Recognition did not change that. Four Emmy nods brought no bump in pay, she said. Each of those nominations was in the supporting actress category, Variety noted.

So she walked away. Once season six ended, she let her contract lapse and later dropped in as a guest from time to time. Those visits happened only on her terms, she said.

The decision caught people off guard. Producers were stunned, Taylor recalled. They took her exit as a bargaining move and said a bigger salary was out of reach.

She still has mixed feelings about the job. "I loved a lot about that show, but they were not full of courtesies", she said.

What it means for viewers

Fans of the show knew Evelyn as a sharp-tongued presence in the Harper family. Taylor's exit after season six explains why the character appeared less often in later years. She returned only as an occasional guest, on her own terms.

Her account also adds to a long-running conversation about how supporting actors are paid on hit shows. Taylor said her salary never rose, even after four Emmy nominations, and that producers said they could not pay more. The exact figures are not known.

Background

Two and a Half Men ran for 12 seasons, from 2003 to 2015, according to Variety.

The show had other cast changes. Charlie Sheen exited in 2011 following public substance abuse struggles, per Variety.

Her career since

Taylor's awards record reaches beyond the sitcom. She won an Emmy in 1999 for The Practice, Deadline reported.

She has a new comedy role. Taylor plays Ma Mac, the mother of Matthew McConaughey's character, in the Apple TV comedy Brothers with Woody Harrelson, which Apple set to premiere Sept. 23, The Hollywood Reporter said.

What happens next

How much Taylor was paid is not known. It is also not known whether the network, studio or producers have answered her remarks.

FAQ

Why did Holland Taylor leave? She said the small paycheck was part of the reason.

Did she get a raise? She said no, despite four Emmy nominations.

Did she ever come back? Yes, as an occasional guest star, when she wanted to.

Where did she say this? On the Alchemy with Anthony Mason podcast.

How long did the show run? 12 seasons, from 2003 to 2015.

Has she won an Emmy? Yes, in 1999 for The Practice.

What is she doing now? She plays Ma Mac in the Apple TV comedy Brothers, with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

Who did she play on the sitcom? Evelyn Harper, the mother of Charlie and Alan.

How did the producers react? Taylor said they were stunned and thought she was negotiating.