Highlights
- Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis maintained their support for Danny Masterson despite his conviction.
- Kutcher described Masterson as a role model who had a positive influence on his life.
- Both Kutcher and Kunis acknowledged the crimes Masterson was convicted of.
After That '70s Show premiered in 1998, the sitcom became so popular that many of the show's stars became rich. Since then, there have been many devoted That '70s Show fans who've wanted to know what the cast is up to now.
In Danny Masterson's case, his legacy has been forever tarnished since he was found guilty of a horrific crime. While many That '70s Show fans used to love Masterson as Steven Hyde, his co-stars like Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis became close friends with the actor. As a result, it is interesting to see if Kunis and Kutcher turned their backs on Masterson or supported him.
Ashton Kutcher And Mila Kunis's Relationship With Danny Masterson After That '70s Show
After Danny Masterson, Ashton Kutcher, and Mila Kunis were all cast in That '70s Show, all of them developed close bonds. Of course, Kutcher and Kunis' tight relationship is very well known as the two stars are now married and have kids together.
In 2016, Kutcher and Masterson went on to star in The Ranch together. At the time the show was coming out, Kutcher explained to Entertainment Weekly that he and Masterson who were still close had been looking for a project they could do together for a long time. "Even when we were working on That ’70s Show, we started talking about doing another show together."
However, when the two men were starring in The Ranch together, a series of allegations that Masterson had forced himself on women came out. Those allegations resulted in Masterson being fired from The Ranch in 2017 as Kutcher continued to star in the show.
Since Kutcher continued to star in The Ranch at the time, some people may have thought he was through with Masterson. As it turns out, however, that definitely wasn't the case. In January 2023, Esquire published a profile about Kutcher. In that piece, Esquire explained the nature of Kutcher and Masterson's relationship at that time.
"He and Kutcher remain in touch. Kutcher speaks to Masterson’s brother often. He says he thinks about Masterson’s child and how the Internet lives forever. 'Someday, his kid is going to read about this.'" Esquire also described Kutcher's desire to believe Masterson is innocent.
"What Kutcher wants, he says, is for Masterson 'to be found innocent of the charges brought against him.' Which is not, crucially, the same as Kutcher wanting his friend to get off the hook. He wants this man who was an example of how to handle yourself at a crucial time in his own life to actually be that example. To be innocent."
After Esquire's article was published, Kutcher was the target of many people's outrage. Part of the reason for that is some observers were shocked by Kutcher backing Masterson given that it has been reported that Kutcher has helped save 6,000 kids from being abused. Still, neither Kutcher nor Mila Kunis ever publicly spoke about cutting Masterson completely out of their lives.
Do Ashton Kutcher And Mila Kunis Support Danny Masterson?
Knowing that Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were friends with Danny Masterson for decades, it makes sense they wanted to believe he didn't force himself on anyone. However, Kutcher's hope that Masterson would be found not guilty in court was lost in May 2023.
After an earlier trial ended in a deadlocked jury, Masterson wound up back in court on three counts. After the second trial, one of those counts ended in deadlock once again, but Masterson was found guilty on the other two charges.
Just over three months after he was found guilty, Masterson had to report to court for sentencing. Ultimately, the court ruled that Masterson would be ordered to serve thirty years to life for the horrendous crimes he'd been found guilty of.
While the earliest headlines after the sentencing focused on how long Masterson was ordered to spend behind bars, more information soon was revealed. As it turned out, several of Masterson's famous friends and family members wrote letters to the court asking on his behalf.
Some of the stars who wrote letters on Masterson's behalf were his former That '70s Show co-stars Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith. Best known for portraying Kitty and Red Forman from the hit sitcom, Rupp and Smith worked with Masterson for many years.
Another celebrity who wrote a letter hoping they could help Masterson get a more lenient sentence is William "Billy" Baldwin. Since Baldwin has been married to Chynna Phillips since 1995 and Masterson married Bijou Phillips in 2011, the two actors are brothers-in-law.
There were at least two more celebrities who wrote to the court trying to argue for Masterson to get a shorter sentence. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis both wrote a letter for Masterson. In Kutcher's letter, he acknowledged the crimes Masterson was convicted of before he began advocating for Masterson.
"I hope that my testament to his character is taken into consideration in sentencing. I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society.” Also in his letter, Kutcher described Masterson as a "role model" who helped keep him from falling into typical Hollywood traps.
"As a role model, Danny has consistently been an excellent one. I attribute not falling into the typical Hollywood life of drugs directly to Danny." Kutcher also wrote about a time he witnessed Masterson, who he described as "an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being" defending a stranger from her boyfriend.
"We had never met or seen these people before, but Danny was the first person to jump to the defense of this girl. It was an incident he didn’t have to get involved in but proactively chose to because the way this man was behaving was not right. He has always treated people with decency, equality, and generosity."
In Kunis' letter, she also lavished praise on Masterson as she wrote about the person she believes him to be. According to how Kunis described Masterson in her letter, she seems to have a great deal of trust in her former That '70s Show co-star.
“I wholeheartedly vouch for Danny Masterson’s exceptional character and the tremendous positive influence he has had on me and the people around him. His dedication to leading a drug-free life and the genuine care he extends to others make him an outstanding role model and friend."
Kunis also wrote about how close she felt to Masterson from the moment they first met.
“From the very beginning, I could sense his innate goodness and genuine nature. His caring nature and ability to offer guidance have been instrumental in my growth both personally and professionally.”
Elsewhere in her letter Kunis wrote about the bond she has witnessed Masterson have with his daughter.
“Witnessing his interactions with his daughter has been heartwarming and enlightening. He prioritizes his family, education, and happiness above all else, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to being a loving and responsible parent. As a father, he leads by example, instilling in her values that reflect integrity, compassion, and respect for others.”
Based on the letters that Kunis and Kutcher submitted to the court, they clearly supported Masterson when they wrote them. There also is no evidence that has changed as of the writing of this article.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErZ%2Bippeoe6S7zGibqGWRqLW1u81moq6sk52ys3nMoqOaZZuqu6q%2FjKysqaifp8FusMCnpbJlnZbAtbHRrKanZaKauaLAyKilrKCZpXqistOeqWasmJbBboOPrGSsoJ%2BsfA%3D%3D