Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis Are Reportedly ‘Laying Low’ After This Major ‘Wake-up Call'

Warning: This post contains descriptions of sexual violence.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are well-known for their vibrant personalities both on-screen and off. Yet recent circumstances surrounding their contentious support of Danny Masterson, a former co-star from That ‘70s Show, have led to a surprising retreat from the public eye by the couple.

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Back in September, Kunis and Kutcher were slammed after their character statements in defense of Masterson, who was sentenced to serve 30 years to life in prison for raping two women between the years of 2001 and 2003, were made public. In an effort to get him a more lenient ruling, Kunis praised Masterson’s role as a father and friend, going as far as to say he “demonstrates grace and empathy in every situation,” in her letter, and Kutcher shared similar sentiments, saying Masterson “has been nothing but a positive influence on me.”

The revelations of their support for Masterson led to a swift and severe public backlash. The two issued a public video apology in which they said they “support victims,” but that effort to reconnect with the public was also slammed for being disingenuous. After the video, the two had a “wake-up call” and retreated out of the public eye to recoup.

“Mila and Ashton used to be a genuinely liked and well-respected pair, so this has been a huge wake-up call for them,” an insider revealed to InTouch Weekly. “They are shocked to the core and are doing their best to lay low, hoping it doesn’t jeopardize their careers in the long-term.”

“They see now it was ultimately a calamitous decision that’s totally backfired and blown up in their faces,” says the insider. “All the reasoning in the world doesn’t detract from the fact that they went to bat for a convicted rapist. It’s a horrific look no matter how they spin it.”

The fallout has been so significant that Kutcher made the decision to resign from his role at Thorn, an anti-sex abuse organization he co-founded. Kunis also stepped down from her position as an observer on the organization’s board. Right now, the insider says that the two are leaning heavily on each other as they grapple with the aftermath of their actions. There’s no use blaming themselves or each other, they’re all they’ve got,” the source explained. “They got in this mess together and they’ll get out of it together, however long it takes.”

Here’s hoping that they both take their time to do a lot of self-inventory and reflection before entering the world of entertainment once again.

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