Popularly known for his role as Alan Harper in the television series Two and a Half Men, Jon Cryer has had his sexual orientation questioned by many. A lot of facts have come up about the actor and before we go into the details of how true they are, we would love to tell you a bit about who he is.
Jon was raised in a family that’s grounded in the show business. He started acting way back as a junior in high school and was a perfectionist in most of his roles. In fact, he had an obsession for acting, so much that he preferred attending a theatre school to going to college.
Jon Cryer Broke His Mother’s Heart In His Pursuit For An Acting Career
It is quite easy to get a well-aligned career path if there had been one or two guardians through the pursuit of a career. For Jon Cryer who was born on the 6th of April 1965 in New York City, New York, he had someone to point him in the right direction. His father, Donald David Cryer is a renowned actor and singer who initially wanted to be a minister while his mother, Gretchen Cryer, is a playwright, songwriter, actress, and singer. Jon’s paternal grandparents are renowned clergies who served in the Methodist church. He is the only son in his home and has two sisters; Robin and Shelly.
Having admired his parent’s occupation from a tender age, Jon Cryer decided to tread the path of an actor but surprisingly, he didn’t get his mom’s approval as she thought he should have a backup plan in case he never succeeded in the career path. Being a strong-willed child, the actor neglected her advice and decided to follow his dreams, come what may.
So, his journey as an actor started while he attended Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Training Center, he later went to Bronx High School of Science, graduating in 1983. Instead of enrolling for college, Jon Cryer chose to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art London; breaking his mother’s heart as she really wanted him to attend college.
Going Against His Mother’s Wish Pushed Him To Work Harder
Having turned deaf ears to his mother’s directives, the actor knew he needed to work harder in order to prove to her that his choice of career was the right decision. So, he focused on his career and stood out amongst his peers while at the Dramatic Art School in London. He made his first professional acting appearance in the Broadway play Torch Song Trilogy before replacing Broderick in the autobiographical play Brighton Beach Memoirs (1989). By the time he was nineteen, he got the lead role in the comedy film No Small Affair, playing Charles Cummings. In-between these periods, the actor got minor roles in a few television series.
Jon’s big break came with the John Hughes-scripted romantic comedy film, Pretty in Pink (1986). While the success of the movie blew out of proportion, the actor received yet another role to play in the 1989 television series, The Famous Teddy Z. Unfortunately, the television series got a lot of criticism, leading to the show’s end after one episode.
However, that didn’t bring a halt to Jon’s rise to fame, in fact, his name would always pop up anytime there was a comedy role to be handled. His talent became a reputation that preceded him and that led to a lot of other movie projects, including; Hiding Out (1987), Dudes (1987), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), Hot Shots (1991), The Waiter (1993) and the rest of them.
Jon Cryer Has Also Proved His Talent As A Writer
Having established his name in front of the cameras, Jon decided to tread the path of a writer following his mother’s footsteps. He wrote his first film Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God… Be Back by Five in 1998. That project received huge critical acclaim and he was also noted as one of the successful skilled writers of that period.
Despite the fact that Jon Cryer was celebrated as a good writer and an actor on the big screens, he kept on having ill-luck on small screens. Most of the smaller roles he bagged during his TV career have somehow hit the rocks. Notwithstanding, the actor’s recurring role in Two and a Half Men is still noted for his excellent performance. Also, the show earned him a nomination for seven different awards and he has won two Emmy Awards.
The Genesis Of Jon Cryer’s Sexuality Debacle
There is no doubt that Jon Cryer is as straight as they come, that is if his personal life history with starting a family of his own is anything to go by. Howbeit, he has fallen victim to the issue most good actors have to face every once in a while.
Playing a gay role in the television series Two and a Half Men gave room for the ongoing rumours regarding the actor’s sexual orientation. To debunk such speculations, he has publicly spoken that he has no issues with being gay but he isn’t a member of the rainbow community and the role in the movie wasn’t a real-life situation but just him doing his job perfectly.
While nailing a role like that is clear evidence of how good he is at acting, some people, including co-stars, still opine that there is more to it. Maybe when they learn about his love life, the perception might change.
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Cryer Has Been Married Twice
The first time the actor tasted the matrimonial waters was with Sarah Trigger in 1999. With her, he has a son named Charlie Austin and the going was good for a few years before their love for each other faded away. They later got a divorce in the year 2004 but Cryer didn’t find love again until a few years later.
Three years after his divorce, he fell in love and married an entertainment journalist named Lisa Joyner. Their wedding ceremony took place in June 2007, in Mexico. The couple shares an adopted daughter named Daisy whom they added to the family in September 2009. They are still going strong as a family.
