Two And A Half Men: Who Played Rose & Why Did She Leave On Such Bad Terms?

Created by television veteran Chuck Lorre, "Two and a Half Men" was dubbed one of America's most successful comedy shows by The Independent, and it served as the launchpad for Lorre's continued sitcom triumph.

But the show wasn't without its share of drama. After struggling with substance abuse and legal trouble, series star Charlie Sheen was dismissed ahead of Season 9 after making disparaging comments about Lorre. Melanie Lynskey's time on the show was less than ideal as well. Lynskey starred as Rose — Charlie's manipulative stalker and next-door neighbor — throughout the series' run, eventually shifting her affections to Walden (Ashton Kutcher) after Sheen's exit.

Initially a guest star, Lynskey was bumped up to series regular when the show got picked up. "That was a harder decision," she admitted to Vulture. "But everyone around me was like, 'Wow, this is great, congratulations.' So I decided to try it on." Lynskey quickly realized the show wasn't for her. Not helping matters was her meager paycheck — the lowest they were legally allowed to pay her. "It felt very hard knowing that most of my year was gonna be this."

When Lynskey told Lorre how she felt, he encouraged her to stay on, promising season-spanning storylines that never came to fruition. After almost a year of negotiations, Lynskey signed a new contract that greatly reduced her role for Seasons 3 through 12, allowing her to take on other projects.

Despite Melanie Lynskey's sour experience on "Two and a Half Men," she claims to not have any beef with Chuck Lorre, and would even be open to a series reunion. "There were moments on that show that were so fun," the actress told Variety. "And I do genuinely love live audience sitcoms."

Lynskey's real frustrations were with her agency at the time she booked "Two and a Half Men." "I was with an agency that didn't seem very excited about me," she said in the same Vulture interview. "They were sending me out for everything. It didn't feel like there was somebody shaping a career." Indeed, the agency pushed a number of "best friend" roles for which Lynskey is known, including in movies like "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Coyote Ugly."

Even after leaving "Two and a Half Men," the agency continued sending her out for similar TV projects. "It was confusing to me. I had worked so hard to get out of my contract, and now you're trying to put me on a worse show," Lynskey continued. "I felt like nobody was paying attention."

In 2007, Lynskey signed with a new agent, Rhonda Price, and the shift in her filmography is evident. Soon after, she appeared in indie films like "Away We Go," "Up in the Air," and "Hello I Must Be Going." Today, the Lynskeyssance is in full force, with the actress earning acclaim for her roles in "The Last of Us" and "Yellowjackets."