Two and a Half Men is the story of Charlie, Alan and Jake, who all live in one house and couldn’t be more different. Another character in the house is Berta, without whom none of this is imaginable. But she was originally only intended for two episodes.
What was the original plan for Berta? In a 2014 interview, Conchata Ferrell, who plays Berta, spoke to The AV Club about how she got the role in the first place. She recounts how she was supposed to audition with an Eastern European accent.
At the audition, however, she said she would like to play the role without an accent. Chuck Lorre, the creator of Two and a Half Men, is said to have simply laughed and allowed her to do it. Of the 32 women who auditioned, she was chosen. Lorre reworked the character based on Ferrell’s portrayal and made her an old hippie.
The original plan for the character Bertha was for her to leave the house after two episodes because Alan and Jake move in. But the grumpy housekeeper was so good that we got to see her for twelve whole seasons.
Even after the unpleasant departure of Charlie Sheen, she could be seen as Bertha:
Two and a Half Men – Trailer for season 11 with Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher
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From a brief guest to a relevant supporting character
Ferell explains in the interview how she went home after filming her second episode and said to her husband: Boy, I hope they think what I think, because I really fit in there.
She was then called to film more episodes. In the second season, she became a regular supporting role in the series because her role as Berta fit into the concept of the series and won everyone over. She liked the character a lot because Berta had the courage to do things she didn’t think she could. She also spoke positively about the relationship between Bertha and Charlie in the series.
And I really enjoyed working for him. I liked his lifestyle, I liked the fact that he lived the way he lived and he said what he said and he did what he did. I liked him because he was a more stylish version of me, I thought.
Conchita Ferrell on Bertha and Charlie’s relationship in the series (Source: The AV Club)
Even after Charlie Sheen left, Berta was still there. From season 9 onwards, she was the housekeeper of Walden Schmidt, played by Ashton Kutcher.
What does Conchita Ferrell think of Ashton Kutcher? In the interview, she is also asked about the current status of the series at the time. She says that Ashton Kutcher saved the show and that everyone is still working because of Kutcher. She describes the seasons as a completely different show, but one that she enjoyed. Before Kutcher got the role, there was another preferred candidate: Two and a Half Men: An actor was supposed to get over €650,000 per episode, but he turned it down