09 September 2023 , 19:47
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Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have released a joint statement to apologise for any pain caused after giving former That '70s Show co-star Danny Masterson letters of support prior to his rape conviction.
The married couple, who starred alongside Masterson, had been heavily criticised for writing character references ahead of his sentencing. Masterson was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison for the rape of two women.
Both Kutcher and Kunis had penned letters vouching for the disgraced actor and convicted rapist before his sentencing, documents show, in which Kutcher referred to Masterson as a "role model". Kunis also commended his "exceptional character".
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have apologised for their actionsNow the pair have uploaded a video to Instagram to say sorry to anyone they may have offended with their actions. Kutcher began the statement: "We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson."
Kunis then took over to say: "We support all victims. We have done this historically through all our work and will continue to do so in the future."
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Explaining the situation behind their letters of support, Kutcher added: "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."
Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years in prison (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Kunis urged fans to realise the letters weren't there to question the legitimacy of the system or the validity of the ruling, with Kutcher saying they were in no way meant to "re-traumatise" the victims.
Kunis then said after an apology from Kutcher: "Our heart goes out to every single person who has ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape."
After several days of deliberation, a jury found Masterson guilty of the crimes on May 31. The assaults occurred in 2003; during which time he was actively filming the series. Masterson was also alleged to have raped a third woman. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on the third allegation and the charges were dismissed.
As she handed down the verdict, the judge on the case said: "Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here. Your actions 20 years ago took away another person's choice and voice. Your actions 20 years ago today were criminal, and that's why you are here."
If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit to receive confidential support.