Angus T. Jones rose to fame as Jake Harper in Two and a Half Men, becoming the highest-paid child actor of his time at $300,000 per episode. Before the sitcom, he appeared in See Spot Run, The Rookie, and George of the Jungle 2.

For ten seasons, Jones was central to the show’s success. But as he grew older, he struggled with marijuana use and became more influenced by religion after joining the Seventh-day Adventist church. He shocked fans by urging people not to watch the sitcom, calling himself a “paid hypocrite.”

His comments caused controversy, though he later apologized to producer Chuck Lorre for how he expressed them. Still, he stayed true to his beliefs and eventually left Hollywood.

Jones turned his focus to studying religion and adopted a quieter, private life. He said stepping away from fame was “refreshing and much needed.”

Now 28, Jones looks very different, often sporting long hair and a beard. While he occasionally posts cryptic messages online, he also calls Two and a Half Men a “once-in-a-lifetime experience.” Today, he works behind the scenes as part of the management team at Tonite, a media and event production company.