Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are renowned actors who are celebrated in the entertainment industry. Kutcher and Kunis started dating in 2012 and got married in 2015. They met on the popular show That ’70s Show, on which they worked together.

The coming-of-age sitcom That ’70s Show, which originally ran from 1998 to 2006, was set in the 1970s in the fictional town of Point Place, Wisconsin, and starred an ensemble cast that included Topher Grace and Danny Masterson. Recently, their co-actor, Danny Masterson, was convicted of a serious offense; as a result, the star couple, who submitted a letter to the judiciary pleading fair judgment, apologized for their association with him.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis apologize on Instagram for the letters

 Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis together
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis

On September 7, 2023, That 70s Show actor Danny Masterson was found guilty on two counts of r*pe and sentenced to 30 years in prison. The actor was convicted in May 2023 of r*ping two women more than two decades ago at his Hollywood Hills home.

Prior to the judgment, his co-actors in the show, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, submitted character reference letters to the court, pleading to lower the penalty imposed for the crime. Now the couple has posted an Instagram video in which they express their regrets about the letters.

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A still of Danny Masterson in That '70s Show
Danny Masterson in That ’70s Show

In the video, the couple said that they felt sorry for the pain they caused with the letters they wrote after their co-actor, Masterson, was sentenced for the crimes. Kutcher and Masterson also worked together in the 2016 Netflix comedy The Ranch, but Masterson’s character was allegedly removed after the LAPD investigation was made public the following year.

In the video posted on Friday, Kutcher said that in the letter that asked for leniency,

“They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that. And we’re sorry if that has taken place.”

“We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson. We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.”

The couple ended their message by adding,

“Our hearts go out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of s*xual assault, s*xual abuse, or r*pe.”

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The couple said Danny Masterson is an outstanding role model

They explained that shortly after the actor was convicted in May, his family approached them to write letters, describing “the person that we knew for 25 years”. So that the judge could take advantage of determining the sentence. The letters were posted online by The Hollywood Reporter and other digital publications.

Image of Danny Masterson
Danny Masterson

As per a report by Variety, Kunis called Masterson “an outstanding role model and friend” and an “exceptional older brother figure”. Kutcher hoped that the letter would give a positive impression of Masterson’s character while considering the sentence preceding.

The letter claimed that Masterson didn’t pose any threat to society and that depriving him of his daughter would be an additional injustice. One of the serious offenses against Masterson was he drugged the women before assaulting them. However, both the actors in the letter supported Masterson’s dr*g-free life and expressed how it influenced them as well.

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Fans criticize Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher for their involvement

Consequently, the actors are now facing backlash from fans after their letters went viral. The controversy stemmed from their actions in writing a character letter in support of the accuser.

The actor Danny Masterson at his arraignment on rape charges in Los Angeles Superior Court in September 2020.
Danny Masterson at his arraignment on rape charges in Los Angeles Superior Court in September 2020.

Fans seem to be critical of their apology and the support they gave to Masterson. Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo of the Los Angeles Superior Court sentenced Masterson, 47, to 30 years in prison after hearing from the victims and the defense attorneys’ cries for justice.

Source: Variety 

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