Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis apologize for Danny Masterson character letters
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have apologized for submitting letters affirming Danny Masterson’s good character before he was sentenced for rape.
The Hollywood couple’s That ’70s Show co-star was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to raping two women related to incidents that occurred in the early 2000s.
Kutcher and Kunis were heavily criticized after it was revealed that they were among more than 50 people who wrote to the judge to support the disgraced star before his sentencing.
In his letter, Punk’d described his old classmate as an excellent “role model”, while the TED actress called him a “wonderful friend, confidant and, above all, an excellent big brother figure”.
In a video posted to his Instagram page on Saturday, the pair apologized for the letters, with Kutcher saying: “We are aware of the pain that the character letters written on behalf of Danny Masterson have caused us.”
“We support victims. We have done so historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future,” says Kunis, 40.
His 45-year-old spouse explained that Masterson’s family reached out to him to write a character sheet “to represent the man we knew for 25 years”.
She adds: “The letters were not written to question the validity of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s verdict.”
Kutcher further stated that the letters were only for the judge, with his wife concluding, “Our hearts go out to every person who has ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape.”
Other stars of That ’70s Show who wrote similar letters include Debra Jo Rupp, who played Kitty on the acclaimed sitcom, and Kurtwood Smith, who played her husband Red.
Both Kutcher and Kunis’s letters and their subsequent apologies have provoked anger, including veiled criticism from fellow star Christina Ricci. According to journalist Yashar Ali, one of Masterson’s victims described his social media apology as “incredibly offensive and hurtful”.
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