Danny Masterson was formally sentenced this past week months after being found guilty of rape during his retrial. The former That ‘70s Show actor was given 30 years in prison for raping two women. In the aftermath of that legal development, subsequent details regarding the lead-up to the sentencing have come to light. The most significant information that’s since cropped up is arguably the fact that Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis and more of Masterson’s former co-stars wrote letters on his behalf. Now, Kunis and Kutcher have broken their silence on the matter.
The celebrity couple discussed the situation in a video that was posted to Kutcher’s Instagram account. The two spoke intermittently while explaining their decision to write letters on behalf of Danny Masterson. Ashton Kutcher started the clip off by acknowledging the “pain that has been caused” by their choice before providing further context:
We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson. … 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.
Mila Kunis went on to state that she and her husband support victims of sexual assault. She later added that the documents they submitted were not intended to delegitimize any part of the legal process in their former co-star’s case:
We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future. … The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling.
The pair closed out their joint message by stating that they never intended to “retraumatize” the victims and apologized if that had taken place. You can see the video in its entirety down below:
Danny Masterson first became embroiled in sexual assault allegations in 2017, when at least four women accused him of raping them between 2001 and 2003. The ladies eventually filed suit against the actor as well as the Church of Scientology (of which Masterson is a member) in 2019 for purported harassment and stalking in connection to their rape claims. Masterson was formally charged in 2020 and, in 2021, he pleaded not guilty to the accusations. A trial began in October 2022, but it would ultimately be declared a mistrial due to a hung jury. The case was retried in April 2023, and the guilty verdict was delivered in May.
Post-sentencing, letters written to the judge by family and friends (which are customary in these cases) were divulged, including those of Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis. Details on the contents of the documents were initially scarce, but EW and other outlets have since obtained them. In his letter, Michael Kelso actor Kutcher referred to his ex-That ‘70s Show and The Ranch co-star as “an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being” that had been a “positive influence" on him. Kutcher also acknowledged the charges and that the women are seeking justice but also hoped that his testimony would be considered. Jackie Burkhart actress Kunis, also said, “Danny has proven to be an amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure to me.”
Other responses came from fellow ‘70s Show veterans Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp, who played Red and Kitty Forman, respectively, on the classic sitcom and its Netflix sequel series, That ‘90s Show. Rupp referred to the Steven Hyde actor as a “respectful and kind” individual. She concluded the letter by sharing her thanks for “allowing me to tell you about the Danny Masterson that I love.” Masterson’s on-screen surrogate father figure, Smith, called him “a good friend” and later stated that “Danny treated all women on the show with respect, not only the women in the cast, but women on the crew as well.” He also called Masterson “a wonderful father to his daughter.”
As of right now, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are the only high-profile individuals to have spoken out about writing character letters. Time will tell if any others will choose to address the situation.
