Actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have shared a joint statement on the leaked letters sent to a Los Angeles judge regarding the sentencing of their former “That 70s Show” costar Danny Masterson. Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on three counts of rape and sexual assault.
In the statement, shared on Instagram, the couple claimed that they have always supported survivors of sexual assault.
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The response comes after the couple’s letters asking for leniency on the sentencing were leaked by journalist Meghann Cuniff. The letters rapidly went viral online, receiving heavy criticism for the couple’s defense of Masterson’s character after the detailed violent testimony of the survivors in court.
The couple were among 50 individuals who allegedly sent letters to the judge regarding Masterson’s sentencing. Kutcher’s letter recounted their 25 year friendship, and stated that Masterson’s fatherhood is the primary reason why he did not deserve jail time. “I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society and having his daughter raised without a present father would [be] a tertiary injustice in and of itself,” the actor wrote.
Kunis’ letter additionally refers to Masterson’s “exceptional character.”
The Background
After a flood of negative comments, Kutcher shut off the comments on the post. Kutcher and Kunis first met each other and Masterson in the late 1990s while filming their hit sitcom “That 70s Show.” In the letters, the couple confirmed that they had maintained a friendship with Masterson for 25 years since the end of the show. The couple recently appeared in the Netflix reboot of the show, titled “That 90s Show.” Masterson did not appear in the reboot, as his legal battle regarding the rape conviction had already begun at the time of filming.
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Now, fans of the show and of Kunis and Kutcher express disappointment in their actions. As active activists for feminism and the Time’s Up movement, coupled with Kutcher’s human trafficking advocacy, their blatant defense of a convicted rapist simply because of a personal friendship came as a disappointment.
Notably Ashton Kutcher has become known for his advocacy organization, Thorn, which he began working with in 2009. The organization works to save children from child sex trafficking. Amid Kutcher’s letter defending his friend and costar Masterson, who is now a convicted rapist, some internet sleuths are doing deep dives into Thorn and claiming to find intriguing information about what it actually accomplishes.
Social Media Reactions
Notably, Masterson was a Scientologist, and one of his survivors is a recently ex-communicated former Scientologist. Some theorize that the Church of Scientology blackmailed the couple into writing the letters. This theory remains unproven.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis just posted this video, with heavily lawyered language, in response to the reaction to their writing letters on behalf of Danny Masterson.
It’s important to note that the letters weren’t just character letters you’d write for a friend.
The… pic.twitter.com/DegzlcNXXv
— Yashar Ali ???? (@yashar) September 9, 2023
Elsewhere, some simply criticized the statement, calling it “robotic.”
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sometimes it’s better to just not say anything… especially if the plan was to come out and give this kind of robotic statement. This has likely made things much worse.
— Julio E. Ligorría (@MisterJuly) September 9, 2023
Some feel that Kutcher’s excuse of knowing Masterson for 25 years was invalid.
If I had known the guy for 25 yrs & the parents asked me to write letters about the guy I knew, I would have told them I’m sorry I can’t do that because obviously I didn’t know him as well I thought did
— Lisa-STRONG is Beautiful ????????????????????❤️????☕️????⚾️???? (@Lga911Kelly) September 9, 2023
Many felt that the couple only made the statement because the letters were leaked.
They’re only apologizing because they’re getting backlash ???? they still meant what they said
— Qura (@Qurandale) September 9, 2023
The judge who received the letters is yet to comment.
