Melanie Lynskey has corrected reports about her Two and a Half Men salary, saying she earned far less than claims that she was eventually paid between 200,000 and 300,000 US dollars per episode.
Lynskey played Rose in the CBS sitcom, appearing in 63 of its 262 episodes across all 12 seasons. She was a series regular during the first two seasons before returning in a recurring role.
The discussion began after a fan referred to Lynskey’s supposed earnings in an Instagram comment about Holland Taylor’s decision to leave the programme. The fan claimed Taylor had been unable to secure more money despite the salaries earned by the male cast members.
Melanie Lynskey explains her Two and a Half Men earnings
Responding to the claim, Lynskey said the figures being circulated were wrong. “Sorry, but this insane number is floating around on the internet and I must tell you how wrong it is,” she wrote.
She said she began on 20,000 US dollars per episode and believed she received a five per cent increase each season. “I made literally one tenth of that stated number per episode,” Lynskey said, adding that more than half of her appearances came during the show’s first two seasons.
Lynskey said her highest payment was about 43,000 US dollars for an episode in the final season. She added that the figure was before deductions for agents, managers, business managers and tax, meaning she estimated she took home about half of what she was paid.
Despite disputing the reports, Lynskey said she remained grateful for the income. She was 25 when she secured the role and said it enabled her to pay her mortgage and bills, work in independent films and put down a deposit on a house.
“It wasn’t my show and I felt fine with what I was paid – I just get annoyed when it’s misreported,” she wrote. Lynskey also described Holland Taylor as “a legend and a queen” who deserved many raises.
