The Fallout Of Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis’ Support For Danny Masterson Has Been Swift
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Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual violence. He was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women, and Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s letters for Danny Masterson’s rape conviction were just leaked to reveal a disappointing stance on their former That 70s Show costar.
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If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, free and confidential help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Masterson was accused in March 2017 of raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003 when That 70’s Show was still on air. He was charged in 2020. The actor, who played Stephen Hyde, pleaded not guilty to all three charges in 2021 and went on trial, though it was declared a mistrial in December 2022 after the jury was deadlocked, i.e., they couldn’t unanimously agree on whether to convict him for the third rape.
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The three women who claimed Masterson assaulted them through the Church of Scientology met with journalist Tony Ortega. He posted the allegations as he claimed that one victim approached former Scientologist Leah Remini and told her what allegedly happened. The woman was then advised to file a police report by Remini, according to Ortega.
“I met with the LAPD. I met with Detective Reyes [of the robbery-homicide division, who was assigned the case], and I told her these victims deserve to be heard,” Remini told Ortega at the time. “I asked her to do the right thing by these girls, and I told her that the world is watching.”
Masterson’s rep issued a statement to Us Weekly denying all claims of sexual assault that same month. “We are aware of [the victim]’s 16-year-old allegations. It was only after [the victim] was in contact with Leah Remini that she made allegations of sexual assault by Mr. Masterson,” the rep said at the time. “The alleged incident occurred in the middle of their six-year relationship, after which she continued to be his longtime girlfriend.” The accusers claimed that Masterson and the church engaged in stalking, physical invasion of privacy and conspiracy to obstruct justice after the women reported their allegations against the New York native to the Los Angeles Police Department in 2016 and 2017.
Now, after being found guilty and sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars, new details of the court’s happenings have been leaked.
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s letters for Danny Masterson
Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s letters for Danny Masterson were leaked, according to one victim who identified herself on Twitter.
“The letters will be leaked soon, but I want you all to know that post-Danny Masterson’s conviction & after they read all of the gruesome sworn-under-oath testimony of 5 of Danny’s victims, Ashton Kutcher & Mila Kunis submitted letters to the judge asking her for leniency on Danny,” said Niesha Trout.
Indeed, legal affairs reporter Meghann Cuniff has published the letters of support written by Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis for their That 70s Show costar. They are as follows:
Mila Kunis’ letter for Danny Masterson
“To The Honorable Judge Olmedo
I am writing this character letter on behalf of my dear friend, Danny Masterson, with whom I have had the privilege of sharing a significant part of my life.
My name is Mila Kunis, and I am an actress, and I believe it is essential to share the remarkable influence Danny has had on my life and the lives of others. I first met Danny during our time working together on That 70’s Show, and from the very beginning, I could sense his innate goodness and genuine nature.
Throughout our time together, Danny has proven to be an amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure to me. His caring nature and ability to offer guidance have been instrumental in my growth both personally and professionally. One of the most remarkable aspects of Danny’s character is his unwavering commitment to discouraging the use of drugs. His influence on me in this regard has been invaluable.
In an industry where the pressures and temptations of substance use can be overwhelming, Danny played a pivotal role in guiding me away from such destructive paths. His dedication to avoiding all substances has inspired not only me but also countless others in our circle. Danny’s steadfastness in promoting a drug-free lifestyle has been a guiding light in my journey through the entertainment world and has helped me prioritize my well-being and focus on making responsible choices. His genuine concern for those around him and his commitment to leading by example make him an outstanding role model and friend.
Danny’s role as a husband and father to his daughter has been nothing short of extraordinary. 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. Moreover, Danny has consistently displayed a profound sense of responsibility and care for those around him. He demonstrates grace and empathy in every situation, be it within the entertainment industry or in our personal lives. His steady support and understanding presence make him a reliable source of guidance and comfort for all of us.
Danny Masterson’s warmth, humor, and positive outlook on life have been a driving force in shaping my character and the way | approach life’s challenges. His unwavering commitment to being an exceptional older brother figure to me has had a transformative impact on my life, instilling in me a sense of self-belief and encouraging me to aim for greatness, but all while maintaining a sense of humility.”
Ashton Kutcher’s letter for Danny Masterson
“Honorable Judge Olmedo,
My name is Ashton Kutcher. I am an actor, investor, philanthropist, and most importantly a father. I met Danny Masterson when I was 20 years old in 1998. He instantly became a friend, dedicated co worker, and role model to me. And has remained as such for 25 years. As a friend, Danny has been nothing but a positive influence on me. He’s an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being.
Over 25 year relationship I don’t ever recall him lying to me. He’s taught me about being direct and confronting issues in life and relationships head-on, resolving them, and moving forward. Danny is a person that is consistently there for you when you need him. We’ve traveled around the world together, raised our daughters together, and shared countless family moments. Not only is he a good friend to me I’ve witnessed him be a good friend to others and the kind of brother others would be lucky to have. 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. Any time that we were to meet someone or interact with someone who was on drugs, or did drugs, he made it clear that that wouldn’t be a 200d person to be friends with. And for me, that was an implication that if I were to do drugs, he wouldn’t want to be friends with me, which is something I never would want to risk or jeopardize. I am grateful to him for that positive peer pressure.
He also set an extraordinary standard around how you treat other people. There was an incident where we were at a pizza parlor and a belligerent man entered who is berating his girlfriend. 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 ix but proactively chose to because the way this man was behaving was not right. He has always treated people with decency, equality, and generosity.
After 9-11 Danny was a huge advocate for support of the Firefighters effected [sic] by the event, rallying his friends and coworkers to pitch in however they could. Danny had his daughter a year before I had mine. He set a standard of being a hands on dad. We have spent countless. ‘hours together with our kids and he is among few people that I would trust to be alone with my son and daughter. He’s also a dedicated and loyal husband with unwavering commitment to his wife. We have spent hundreds of hours working together. Danny takes his job seriously. He is kind, courteous, and hard working. He treated everyone from the grips to the teamsters to the actors to the caterers as equals. He showed up on time all the time and always pulled his weight We have also traveled around the world together promoting our work. I can honestly say that no matter where we were, or who we were with, I never saw my friend be anything other than the guy I have described.
While I’m aware that the judgment has been cast as guilty on two counts of rape by force and the victims have a great desire for justice, 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 and having his daughter raised without a present father would [be] a tertiary injustice in and of itself. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”
Kutcher has expressed support for Masterson in the past. In an interview with Esquire earlier in 2023, he said he was still in touch with his former colleague. “Someday, his kid is going to read about this,” Kutcher worried but said that he was also conscious of victims. “I wholesale feel for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way.” Kutcher said he wanted Masterson “to be found innocent of the charges brought against him,” but added, “I’m not the judge. I’m not the jury. I’m not the DA. I’m not the victim. And I’m not the accused. And so, in that case, I don’t have a space to comment,” on his friend’s future guilt.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis’ apology
On September 10, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis made an apology—albeit an oddly robotic one—to their Instagram account expressing sorrow for the “pain” caused by their support of Danny Masterson, a “person they knew for 25 years.”
Here’s the transcript of the video.
Kutcher: We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson.
Kunis: We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.
Kutcher: 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.
Kunis: The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling.
Kutcher: They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or retraumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that. We’re sorry if that has been the case.
Kunis: Our heart goes out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of sexual assault and sexual abuse.
A PR professional Beth Booker told TODAY.com that “the video is being positioned as an apology video, but it’s definitely more of an explanation video. They weren’t apologizing for writing the letters. … They were apologizing that they got caught. This felt like a very quick reaction to a problem, not necessarily an apology.”
Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis resigned from their non-profit
On September 14, 2023, Ashton Kutcher stepped down as chairman of the board at the anti-child sex abuse organization he started with his ex-wife Demi Moore in 2012, TIME revealed. It came swiftly after the blowback from the apology issued by himself and Mila Kunis, who wrote letters of support asking for leniency in Danny Masterson’s rape sentencing. Kunis also served on the board of the non-profit.
In a letter, he wrote:
“Thorn Board,
After my wife and I spent several days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors and the employees and leadership at Thorn, I have determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as Chairman of the Board, effectively immediately. I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve.
As you know, I have worked for 15 years to fight for people who are sexually exploited. Victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced and the character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences.
This is precisely what we have all worked to reverse over the last decade. The mission must always be the priority and I want to offer my heartfelt apology to all victims of sexual violence and everyone at Thorn who I hurt by what I did. And to the broader advocacy community, I am deeply sorry.
I remain proud of what we have accomplished in the past decade and will continue to support Thorn’s work. Thank you for your tireless advocacy and dedication to this cause.”
Victim impact statements
In reading their victim impact statements, the court heard a heart-wrenching account of how the victims’ lives had been forever altered by his actions. “When you raped me, you stole from me,” Jane Doe #2 told the court.
“That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit. You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent,” she said. “The world is better off with you in prison.” Jane Doe #1 said Masterson “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused. I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with,” she said. “I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police.” Jane Doe #3 said Masterson’s actions sentenced her to “viewing my body as a crime scene my entire life.”
Danny Masterson’s sentencing
Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo issued a scathing assessment of Masterson before she dispatched him to prison. “Mr. Masterson, I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” she said, per NBC News. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here.”
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said he applauded the women for “coming forward and participating in this process,” adding that he hoped it encouraged others to come forward about instances of abuse in Hollywood. “My hope is that this sentence will somehow bring them peace and that their bravery will be an example to others,” he said. “One of my top priorities is to ensure that Los Angeles will no longer be a hunting ground for Hollywood elite who feel entitled to prey on women.”
Shawn Holley, a lawyer for Masterson, told reporters outside the courtroom that she was “very disappointed” in the sentence, noting that a team of lawyers had reviewed the case and found “a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues” that they planned to use in appeals. “Though we have great respect for the jury, and for our system of justice, sometimes they get it wrong — and that’s what happened here,” Holley said, noting that Masterson maintains his innocence.
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