Hugh Grant turned down $750K per episode to replace Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men, creator Chuck Lorre claims in bombshell book

Hugh Grant allegedly turned down $750,000 per episode - plus a four-day work week - to replace Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men, according to the show's creator Chuck Lorre.

Lorre claimed the British actor, 66, suddenly walked away from his lucrative offer in his new memoir, Sitcom, which was released on Tuesday.

The 73-year-old, who also commented on Anna Faris' abrupt exit from Mom in his book, has borne no grudge against Grant, who is known for being selective in the roles he takes.

'I would have to guess that he decided that, for his career, it wasn't a good play,' Lorre told People. 'The money was secondary to his needs and demands as an actor and as an artist.'

The so-called 'King of Sitcoms,' who also brought The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon and The Kominsky Method to the small screen, guessed what was going on in Grant's mind.

'And I would give him, I think that's a round of applause for a guy who said, "You know what? The money is remarkable, but that's not why I'm here. That's not why I'm acting,"' Lorre offered by way of explanation.

The Daily Mail has contacted a representative for Grant for comment. 

'"I'm acting because I love to act, and the challenge of acting is something that," I'm guessing here, "is more meaningful to me than a paycheck."'

In 2011, Grant was close to signing the contract after Lorre and his writing partner Lee Aronsohn wrote sample scenes that reflected his comedic persona.

When the deal was coming together, Grant suddenly left the room and became unreachable, Lorre revealed in the book.

Grant had his representative let the producers know he was no longer participating.

The Love Actually star's biggest fear was performing in front of a live studio audience, though Lorre offered to remove the crowd and use recorded laughter instead.

After Grant's rejection, Lorre believed the long-running CBS sitcom was finished.

But then Ashton Kutcher came along and, despite Lorre's initial reservations that he was too young to play the character they had in mind, completely won him over.

Kutcher joined the cast as internet billionaire Walden Schmidt alongside mainstays Jon Cryer and Angus T Jones, enabling the show to run for four more seasons until it came to an end in 2015.

Lorre revealed in his book that Kutcher earned $63 million during that time and Cryer went on to win a second Emmy for his role as the uptight and neurotic Alan Harper.

Sheen was fired from Two and a Half Men in March 2011 due to substance abuse, erratic behavior on set, and a chain of explosive public insults and media tirades aimed at Lorre.

Lorre wrote in his memoir that actress Melanie Lynskey was 'terrified' of Sheen during their final scene together on the set.

As Lorre put it, Sheen could not remember his lines and used furniture to keep himself upright, creating a frightening and panic-inducing atmosphere for the cast and crew.

Lorre and Sheen have since reconciled and buried the hatchet after a decade of feuding. 

They even worked together again, with Sheen taking on a guest-starring role in Lorre's Max comedy series Bookie in 2023 - playing a celebrity sports gambler and fictionalized version of himself.