Hollywood actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have issued a response to the public backlash stemming from their controversial character letters written on behalf of their former That ’70s Show co-star, Danny Masterson. Masterson was recently sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the rape of two women in the early 2000s.
In a brief video posted on Instagram, Ashton Kutcher, 45, began by acknowledging the pain caused by their letters, stating, “We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson.” Mila Kunis, 40, joined in, emphasizing their support for victims. She stated, “We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.” Notably, comments on their post were disabled.
Critics swiftly took to social media, with journalist Yashar Ali highlighting the letters’ content, which contained Scientology references and appeared intended to undermine the credibility of the victims who had accused Masterson of drugging them.
In their video statement, Kutcher clarified the purpose of the letters, explaining that Danny Masterson’s family had asked them to write character references for someone they had known for 25 years. Their intention, they claimed, was not to question the judicial system or the jury’s verdict but to provide the judge with insight into Masterson’s character.
Mila Kunis added, “The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling. They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimonies of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that. And we are sorry if that has taken place.”
Their statement concluded with Mila expressing sympathy for victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape, stating, “Our heart goes out to every single person that has ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape.”
The release of these letters has triggered outrage among fans and former supporters. Some have criticized the couple for supporting Masterson, despite his conviction. One Instagram commenter wrote, “I’m not a fan of cancel culture, but I make an exception for you two,” while another added, “Hard f*****g pass on you two. How the mighty have fallen.”
In the letters, which were obtained by DailyMail.com, both Kunis and Kutcher spoke highly of Masterson, describing him as an honest and generous individual. Ashton Kutcher praised Masterson’s honesty and problem-solving abilities, citing a 25-year friendship characterized by trust.
