Highest-paid Child Actor of All Time Reveals Why He Left Hollywood

At the height of his success, Angus T. Jones earned a staggering $7 million for just one season of Two and a Half Men. However, he has now chosen to lead a more low-key lifestyle, and the reasons behind this decision are revealed below.

Despite having a few smaller TV appearances leading up to it, Jones officially debuted in the pilot of Two and a Half Men in 2003. His role as Jake Harper, the endearing son of Alan (played by Jon Cryer) and nephew of Charlie Sheen’s character, marked his effective introduction to the show.

Despite Charlie Sheen being fired, the sitcom continued to be a major hit, running for a total of 12 seasons of binge-worthy TV. In 2013, Angus T. Jones departed from the show, but made a final return for a cameo appearance in the series finale.

Remarkably, his earnings peaked at an astonishing $350,000 per episode, solidifying his position as the most highly compensated young actor on television.

Angus T Jones with Jon Cryer and Charlie Sheen in Two and a Half Men — CBS

Since the conclusion of the show, Jones has made appearances in two other projects: he was featured in Louis CK’s Horace and Pete in 2016, and in 2023, he made a cameo as himself alongside Sheen in Bookie.

The reason for his departure from acting can be traced back to 2012, when he was baptized into the Seventh-Day Advent Church. Shortly after, he criticized the show in a video released by a Christian group called the Forerunner Chronicles.

“The character of Jake from Two and a Half Men holds no significance. He is a fictional entity. If you currently watch the show, I urge you to discontinue. As a member of the cast, I do not wish to be associated with it. Please refrain from watching and exposing your mind to such vulgarity.”

“Many argue that television is merely for entertainment. However, conducting research on the impact of television on the brain will inevitably lead to a decision, particularly regarding the content that one chooses to watch.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmecfQSuK2w

Bookie – Two and a Half Men Reunion (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmecfQSuK2w)

The following day, he expressed remorse and emphasized his appreciation and utmost admiration for all the amazing individuals on Two and a Half Men, who have become like family to him.

In 2014, the actor left the series to attend the University of Colorado. During an interview with KHOU-TV, he expressed his feelings of being a “paid hypocrite”and how the show trivialized serious issues faced by many people in the world.

Two years later, he admitted to People that he was content with living a regular life. He also mentioned that if he had been asked a few years earlier if he wanted to return to the entertainment industry, he would have declined without hesitation.

“For a while, I had a very negative outlook on life, but now I’m embracing the present and finding joy in it. I no longer feel like I am constantly walking on eggshells with every decision I make.”

In the interim, why not browse other TV shows available for streaming this month and discover which new movies you should add to your watch list.