Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis Apologize for Character Letters Defending Convicted Rapist Danny Masterson as Backlash Grows Against Couple
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis issued a public apology for the character letters they sent to the judge of Danny Masterson's sexual assault trial, in which they defended their That '70s Show co-star, calling him a "role model."
The Hollywood couple released their apology following a massive backlash where they were criticized for defending a convicted rapist, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The trio appeared on 'That '70s Show' when Masterson's victims say the crimes took place.
"We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson," Kutcher said in a video posted to his Instagram on Saturday, September 9.
Kunis, who sat beside her husband throughout the video, added, "We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future."
"A couple of months ago, Danny's family reached out to us. And they asked us to write character letters to represent the person that we knew for 25 years so that the judge could take that into full consideration relative to the sentencing," Kutcher explained.
Kunis also praised his character and said he offered guidance that she valued both personally and professionally.
The 40-year-old Family Guy actress chimed in again to claim that their letters weren't meant to question "the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury's ruling."
Kutcher added that the letters were meant to be read by the Judge and "not to undermine the testimony of the victims ... We would never want to do that. And we're sorry if that has taken place."
In the letters, Ashton called Masterson a "role model," while Kunis vouched for his "exceptional character."
- Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis Fear Being Cancelled Over Supporting Convicted Rapist 'That '70s Show' Co-Star Danny Masterson
- Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis Wrote Letters of Support for Danny Masterson, Called Him a 'Role Model' After Hearing Victims' Testimonies
- Ashton Kutcher 'Desperate' to Repair Reputation After Letter of Support for Former Costar Danny Masterson: Report
Kunis ends the video by saying, “Our heart goes out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape.”
The comments on the initial video were disabled.
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Masterson will remain in jail until he's eventually transferred to a California state prison.
The apology was shared on X, formally known as Twitter, where the two actors were hit with another wave of criticisms for their apology, with some calling it clearly "scripted" and "disingenuous."
One X user who shared the video wrote, "Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis admit that they were trying to protect a rapist from getting a harsh sentencing ... Please crawl into a hole and stay."
Another user replied, "They turned off the comments. So they clearly don't want anyone's opinion on it. So that's how you know how trash this apology is."
A third user called for the Dude Where's My Car? actor to step down from Thorn organization, calling Kutcher an "utter disgrace."
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As RadarOnline.com recently reported, Masterson was sentenced to 30 years behind bars for raping two women, identified as Jen B. and N. Trout, in the Early 2000s.