Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have issued an apology for the letters they wrote on behalf of That 70s Show costar and convicted rapist Danny Masterson, who the couple called a "role model."
Danny Masterson Sentenced
“We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,” Kutcher said in a video posted to his Instagram Saturday.
“We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future,” Kunis added.
In May, Masterson was convicted of raping two women during the early 2000s, receiving a sentence last week of 30 years to life in prison. Kutcher and Kunis were two of over 50 people who wrote to the judge in Masterson's trial on behalf of the actor, including fellow That 70s Show stars Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, who played Kitty and Red Foreman on the sitcom, respectively.
Kutcher explained that Masterson's family had reached out to the actors to write character letters that would “represent the person that we knew for 25 years.” Kunis noted that “the letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system, or the validity of the jury’s ruling."
“They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way,” Kutcher said. “We would never want to do that, and we’re sorry if that has taken place.”
Kunis concluded their message: “Our heart goes out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape.”
Kutcher and Kunis' letters were released shortly after Masterson was sentenced, via The Hollywood Reporter. Part of Kutcher's letter to the judge reads: “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. As a role model, Danny has consistently been an excellent one."
Kunis called Masterson an “amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure," writing that "his genuine concern for those around him and his commitment to leading by example make him an outstanding role model and friend."
One of the women who Masterson was convicted of raping, Jane Doe 1, slammed Kunis and Kutcher's video, telling journalist Yashar Ali that the apology was "incredibly insulting and hurtful."
"My hope is that they learn radical accountability and the importance of self-education to learn when to keep their privilege in check — especially Ashton, who claims to work with victims of sex crimes. And as to Mila, I can only think of ‘Times Up,'" she said.
