Ashton Kutcher was “scared” when he first arrived on the Two and a Half Men set.
The star has replaced Charlie Sheen on the show, after he was fired for making rude comments about the programme’s bosses.
Ashton’s plays Walden Schmidt, a billionaire who is quite immature. He admits stepping into Charlie’s shoes was daunting at first, but once he got to know the cast and crew he realised he’d made the right decision.
“[It was] a little scary. You didn't know what everybody's dynamics were, just wanting to feel everyone out, who can take a joke, who can't," Ashton said. "[I played a practical joke and] I think there was something about that that made everyone go, 'Ah, OK, we can have fun.'"
Ashton’s co-star Jon Cryer is amazed by how well he’s settled in.
Jon worked with Charlie too and initially wondered what the show would be like without him. Any fears he had have been allayed as he thinks Ashton was the perfect person to take Charlie’s place.
Both stars are pleased they’ve managed to keep much of the new series under wraps, even though it’s known the first episode will feature the funeral of Charlie’s character Charlie Harper.
“I hate going and seeing movies where you already know everything that's going to happen and you feel you've already seen all the good jokes. What's going to be great is this first episode, nobody's going to have seen any of the jokes. It's going to be completely fresh," Ashton mused. "Then, when it's revealed my character is gay, people are going to flip out."
Jon jokingly added: "They're going to lose their minds. That and the alien thing."
Earlier this year, Charlie made unflattering remarks about Jon while in the midst of his meltdown. He has since apologised and Jon holds no bad feelings. He explained he found the whole situation uncomfortable.
“Of course, it's sad, anybody watching a friend go through that in such a horribly public way. It hurts, and I have never had anything but good wishes for Charlie,” he told USA Today. “I miss working with Charlie. I had a great time working with him and I owe him a great deal, and I hope that [in] this new chapter in his life that he can come out of this in a healthy and happy way.”
The new season of Two and a Half Men will premiere in the US on September 19.
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