Fans have been left disappointed after discovering that Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were among the celebrities who wrote letters of support for convicted rapist Danny Masterson at his trial.
Masterson of That 70s Show was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted of two of three forcible rape charges in May 2023. He had always maintained that he was innocent.
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The actor and member of the Church of Scientology was accused of raping three women at his home in the Hollywood Hills between 2001 and 2003. Jurors reached guilty verdicts on two of the charges, but were unable to find him guilty on the third.
Part of the evidence presented ahead of Masterson's sentencing involved character references. These included letters from his fellow stars of That 70s Show Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, leaving fans disappointed.
In February 2023, before Masterson's conviction, Kutcher said that he hoped he would be acquitted.
He said: “I don’t want him to elude the law, but I wish for the truth to show he's innocent."
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The actor added: "I can’t know… I’m not the judge, the jury, the DA, the victim, or the accused. I’m in no position to comment. I genuinely don’t know."
In her letter, Kunis concluded: "I wholeheartedly vouch for Danny Masterson's exceptional character and the tremendous positive influence he has had on me and the people around him."
She wrote: "Danny Masterson’s warmth, humor, and positive outlook on life have been a driving force in shaping my character and the way I approach life’s challenges.
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“His unwavering commitment to being an exceptional older brother figure to me has had a transformative impact on my life, instilling in me a sense of self-belief and encouraging me to aim for greatness, but all while maintaining a sense of humility.”
Kutcher concluded: "While I'm aware that the judgement has been cast as guilty on two counts of rape by force and
the victims have a great desire for justice. I hope that my testament to his character is taken into consideration in sentencing. I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society."
He wrote: "As a role model, Danny has consistently been an excellent one. I attribute not falling into the typical Hollywood life of drugs directly to Danny. Any time that we were to meet someone or interact with someone who was on drugs, or did drugs, he made it clear that that wouldn't be a good person to be friends with.
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"And for me, that was an implication that if I were to do drugs, he wouldn't want to be friends with me, which is something I never would want to risk or jeopardize. I am grateful to him for that positive peer pressure. He also set an extraordinary
standard around how you treat other people."
UNILAD has contacted both Kunis and Kutcher's reps for comment.
Kit Roberts