Charlie Sheen No-Shows Filming of 'Anger Management'

Credit: FX

Charlie Sheen appears to have bailed on the whole concept of showing up.

The actor has no-showed several days of filming on his FX comedy Anger Management over the past few weeks. This has forced the studio, Lionsgate, to push production past schedule and to use stand-ins for Sheen to complete certain scenes. The result is unrest among his co-stars, as some cast members are reportedly threatening to stop working altogether if Sheen's no-shows continue.

While Lionsgate declined comment on the situation, Sheen's publicist, Jeff Ballard, has gone on record denying that Sheen was the reason for the delay in production, in addition to refuting claims that the show is using a stand-in to shoot around Sheen.

"We did not shoot last week because another member of the cast was sick," Ballard told The Hollywood Reporter. "Charlie is always ready, willing and able to shoot Anger Management and looks forward to returning on Monday."

Further details from The Hollywood Reporter:

Sources say Sheen has performed as usual when he is on-set but several people associated with Anger Management speak of his erratic behavior of late. His odd appearance on Jay Leno’s final week of The Tonight Show in February had some questioning the newly engaged actor’s state. He is said to have had recent health issues, including a vocal cord problem, which is said to have contributed to his absences.

In January, Sheen took to Twitter to blast his Two and a Half Men successor Ashton Kutcher with a tweet that included: “Now quit barfing on my old brilliant show. Remember Punk’ed? How duz it feel?” (It is worth noting that Sheen was urging his 10 million-plus followers to watch Anger earlier this week.)

This is not the first speed bump for Anger, which found itself in the news last spring when actress Selma Blair, who had played Sheen’s love interest, was dismissed from the show by Sheen via a strongly worded text in which he is said to have called her a “c---.” The two were believed to have had a falling-out after Blair questioned his work ethic on the half-hour comedy, which requires a grueling schedule of producing two episodes per week.

Sheen's involvement is crucial to the success of Anger Management, as the show stands to generate between $350 million and $500 million in revenue if it fulfills its initial 100 episode order. It's a number that could climb as high as $800 million if the show hits 150 episodes, given the lucrative value of license fees, international sales and syndication revenue. The ratings are nowhere near what they were when the show launched, but there's still tons of money to be made from Anger Management. However, the show is so inextricably linked with Sheen's character that the show would struggle if he were to leave for any reason.

It's a tough situation, but hopefully, there isn't any smoke to this particular fire. But if there is, we could be looking at another Two and a Half Men situation. And that's not good for anybody.