Celebrity couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were forced to issue an apology on Saturday for character letters they wrote for Danny Masterson prior to his sentencing for rape last week.
Kutcher and Kunis were co-stars of Masterson’s on That ’70s Show, with Kutcher explaining that he and Kunis – his wife – were approached by Masterson’s family to write character letters describing “the person that we knew for 25 years”.
Last Thursday, however, Los Angeles superior court judge Charlaine F Olmedo sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003.
In a video posted to Instagram after the content of their character letters on Masterson’s behalf were made public, Kutcher and Kunis apologized to the public.
Kutcher said that the letters – which implored the judge presiding over Masterson’s case to show leniency – “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, and we’re sorry if that has taken place.”
In his letter, dated July 27 2023, Kutcher described former co-star Masterson as an individual who treated people “with decency, equality, and generosity”, while Kunis labeled him “an outstanding role model and friend” and “exceptional older brother figure”.
Needless to say, there was a degree of public uproar when the letters entered the public arena – courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter, among other digital outlets – forcing Kutcher and Kunis to clarify their intentions.
According to reports, the rapes that Masterson, 47, was found guilty of in May both took place in his home in Hollywood in 2003. Victims testified that Masterson had drugged them before carrying out the attacks.
The actor was convicted of rape against two of his three accusers. Charges brought by a third accuser, meanwhile, were declared a mistrial, with prosecutors confirming that they do not plan on retrying the case.
Following sentencing, one of Masterson’s lawyers stressed his client’s innocence, declaring that the fight was far from done.
“The appellate lawyers are confident that these convictions will be overturned,” he said.
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