Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher call Danny Masterson a 'role model' in letters to court prior to rape sentencing

One day after a judge sentenced former "That '70s Show" actor Danny Masterson to 30 years to life for the rape of two women, the letters of support his friends and family wrote ahead of his sentencing were revealed to the public.

Masterson, 47, was convicted in May of raping women identified at trial as Jane Doe #1 and Jane Doe #2. A jury could not reach a decision about a third accuser, Jane Doe #3, who was a former girlfriend of Masterson's.

On Sept. 8, one day after the sentencing and after three women gave powerful victim impact statements detailing being drugged and raped by the actor, letters written by several of Masterson's former co-stars prior to the sentencing surfaced.

The "That '70s Show" stars who penned letters of support include Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Debra Jo Rupp (who played Kitty Forman) and Kurtwood Smith (who played Red Forman).

In both of their letters, Kunis and Kutcher, who married in 2015, wrote that Masterson had kept them away from drugs as young actors in Hollywood.

“As a role model, Danny has consistently been an excellent one,” Kutcher wrote. “I attribute not falling into the typical Hollywood life of drugs directly to Danny.”

They also wrote that Masterson is now a family man.

“Danny’s role as a husband and father to his daughter has been nothing short of extraordinary,” Kunis wrote, saying his interactions with his daughter are “heartwarming and enlightening.”

“He prioritizes his family, education, and happiness above all else, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to being a loving and responsible parent,” Kunis said. “As a father, he leads by example, instilling in her values that reflect integrity, compassion, and respect for others.”

Kunis concluded that she could “wholeheartedly vouch for Danny Masterson’s exceptional character and the tremendous positive influence he has had on me and the people around him.”

Rupp and Smith both mentioned that they worked on the Netflix show “The Ranch” with Masterson. Kutcher also starred in the show, which ran from 2016 to 2020.

In her letter, Rupp also recalled when actor Wilmer Valderrama, who played Fez in “That ‘70s Show, invited the cast to his high school graduation.

“Danny and I were the only ones to go,” Rupp wrote in her letter. “I remember looking at him and dying. It was outside, in the valley, really hot, and (Valderrama) was a ‘V’ alphabetically. We laughed so hard during that. It’s a really nice memory. Danny just always showed up to support.”

Masterson has, through his legal team, maintained his innocence. Shawn Holley, one of Masterson’s lawyers, said in a statement to NBC News on Sept. 8 that they plan to appeal.

“Mr. Masterson did not commit the crimes for which he has been convicted and we and the appellate lawyers — the best and the brightest in the country — are confident that these convictions will be overturned,” Holley said.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com