Charlie Sheen and 'Two and a Half Men' rubbed a certain A-lister at the time the wrong way.
For an actor, getting that call confirming that an audition or screen test has turned out successful has to be one of the most fulfilling moments. Yet it doesn't always work out perfectly, with many screen performers having gone on to express regret for taking on particular roles.
John Boyega is one notable example, as he has often cited his bad experience working within the Star Wars franchise. Halle Berry with Catwoman, Blake Lively with Gossip Girl and Viola Davis with The Help are all instances where actors performed a part in a film or TV show, only to later wish they hadn't in the first place.
The same is true for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and New Girl star, Megan Fox, who feels bad about her brief cameo on the CBS sitcom, Two and a Half Men. She was only 18 years old when she appeared in episode 12 of the first season of the show, but ended up being overtly sexualized - something which sadly would reoccur in other productions as well.
Treated As A Sex Symbol
The TAHM episode that Fox was featured in was titled Camel Filters and Pheromones. She played a character called Prudence, the 16-year old granddaughter of Berta (Conchata Ferrell), housekeeper for central characters Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen) and Dr. Alan Harper (Jon Cryer).
Prudence's presence in the Harper residence became a strong distraction for the two men, as well as Alan's young son, Jake (Angus T. Jones). She spent her entire screen time throughout the episode bikini-clad, including a scene where she had the men trying hard not to ogle as she sponge-and-foam-washed a window pane.
It was yet another example of Fox being constantly treated as a sex symbol, something she says had been happening to her from the moment she started acting - at the age of 15.
One of her very early roles was as an extra on the set of Michael Bay's Bad Boys II, a sequel for his 1995 hit starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. Fox's part in the movie was not even credited in the end, but the things that Bay had her doing at that age left her 'psychologically
Always Spoke Up
Fox explained how this episode unfolded during an appearance on Jimmy KimmelLive. She was originally meant to be seated at a bar holding a drink, but due to her age, this was not legally permissible. It was then that Bay decided to change her sequence, and asked her to dance under water in a bikini.
Despite this consistent culture of being forced to be some sort of sexual symbol, Fox never stayed silent about her (mis)treatment. Whenever she felt uncomfortable, she would speak up about it. This eventually led to a fallout between her and Bay, after working on two of his Transformers franchise movies. She was eventually fired from her role, playing the character Mikaela Banes in that particular world.
A very disparaging letter was then posted on Bay's website thereafter, insinuating that she would be better off working as an adult film star instead. 'When facing the press, Megan is the queen of talking trash and posing like a porn star,' the letter read. '[But] watching her try to act on set [is] very cringe-able. So maybe being a porn star in the future might be a good career option.'
Recognized For Her Talent
As is so often the case with such scenarios, Fox's primary desire was to be recognized for her talent, without being objectified. "You can't be a sex symbol 24 hours a day," she told Empire magazine in 2009. "I can't be a professional celebrity or a professional sexpot. I can't do that to myself. I just want to work and make the right choices, and study and develop as an actress."
Fox only just saw her divorce from Brian Austin Green - her husband of ten years - finalized in October 2021. Green was in her life for an even longer period of time, as they started dating back in 2004. Together, they have three sons: 9-year-old Noah, 7-year-old Bodhi and 5-year-old Journey.
Green is an actor himself, with one of his career credits being a main part in the FX sitcom, Anger Management. The show featured Charlie Sheen in the leading role. This is something that reportedly made Fox very uncomfortable, as she didn't want her husband growing too close with the actor. It is possible that this apprehension dates back to the time she crossed paths with Sheen on TAHM, a role she wishes she would have avoided altogether.
