Social Media Trolls Attack Ashton Kutcher and Kunis Over Danny Masterson letters
In a new Instagram video, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis declare they “support victims,” following the the leaked letters that they had submitted to the judge in favour of leniency in Danny Masterson’s sentencing.
Masterson, who co-starred on That ’70s Show with the married couple, was sentenced to 30 years in jail on Thursday after being convicted of two counts of rape in May.
The couple remained close to the actor after the sitcom ended in 2006, with Kutcher and Masterson co-starring in Netflix’s The Ranch in 2016. (Masterson left the programme in 2017 after sexual assault claims resurfaced.)
Character letters to the judge in Masterson’s case were leaked on Friday, showing that Kutcher and Kunis had requested mercy in sentencing. In separate letters, the pair thanked Masterson for being a “role model” and a fantastic father, as well as for preventing drug use on That ’70s Show.
The criticism was fast from trolls on social media, with many criticising Kutcher and Kunis for defending a rape criminal while claiming to assist victims through their work. This includes Kutcher’s anti-human trafficking organisation Thorn, as well as Kunis’ role as producer and star of the film Luckiest Girl Alive, in which she plays a rape survivor.
Kutcher, who co-starred with Danny Masterson in the Netflix series The Ranch, shared the video with the Ted actress on his Instagram account.
“We are aware of the pain that the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson have caused,” Kutcher remarked.
“We stand by victims.” We have done this in the past through our work and will continue to do so in the future,” Kunis added.
Kutcher stated that the letters were prepared “a couple of months ago” at the request of Danny Masterson’s family, who asked them to “write character letters to represent the person that we knew for 25 years, so that the judge could fully consider that relative to the sentencing.”
“The letters were not written to call into question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling,” Kunis said.
“They were intended for the judge to read, not to undermine or retraumatize the victims in any way.” That is something we would never do. And we’re sorry if that happened,” Kutcher remarked.
Kunis ended the video by saying, “Our heart goes out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse.”
Kutcher and Kunis aren’t the only celebrities who have sent letters on Danny Masterson’s behalf. Fellow That ’70s Show performers Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp also lauded Masterson in letters, as did Masterson’s longtime friend, actor Giovanni Ribisi, and Masterson’s brother-in-law Billy Baldwin.
Danny Masterson is an American actor known for his roles in television series such as “That ’70s Show” and “The Ranch.” He was born on March 13, 1976, in Long Island, New York, USA. Masterson gained significant fame for his portrayal of Steven Hyde in “That ’70s Show,” which aired from 1998 to 2006. The show was a popular sitcom that depicted the lives of a group of teenagers growing up in the 1970s.
In addition to his work on “That ’70s Show,” Masterson has appeared in various other television series and films throughout his career. One of his more notable post-“That ’70s Show” projects was “The Ranch,” a Netflix series that ran from 2016 to 2020, where he played the character Jameson “Rooster” Bennett.
It’s worth noting that Danny Masterson has also faced legal issues. In June 2020, he was charged with multiple counts of rape, allegations that he has denied. These legal matters have significantly impacted his career and public image.
‘That ’70s Show’ Actor Danny Masterson Gets 30 Years
‘That ’70s Show’ Actor Danny Masterson Gets 30 Years For Rapes Of 2 Women
