Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis publicly expressed regret for their letters of support sent in favor of Danny Masterson.
The 45-year-old actor and the 40-year-old actress, who tied the knot in 2015, were co-stars with Masterson in the popular TV series “That ’70s Show” from 1998 to 2006. Over the weekend, they posted a collaborative video on Kutcher’s Instagram account.
“We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,” Kutcher said.
“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,” he added. “They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that, and we’re sorry if that has taken place.”
Kunis also spoke on the situation, reiterating their support for rape victims.
“We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future,” Kunis said. “Our heart goes out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape.”
Apart from Kunis and Kutcher, nearly 50 other people penned letters in support of Masterson. Among these individuals were Masterson’s spouse, Bijou Phillips, as well as fellow “That ’70s Show” cast members Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith.
Masterson received a 30-year to life following his conviction on two counts of forcible rape. He is currently behind bars at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Men’s Central Jail, awaiting his transfer to a California state prison.
