Actors Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are under fire from critics. After defending their friend Danny Masterson during his rape trial, the couple apologized and affirmed their support for victims of sexual violence in a video posted to Instagram on Saturday, September 9. Danny Masterson was found guilty of two rapes last June and sentenced to 30 years in prison by a Los Angeles court.
While awaiting this conviction, the Kunis Kutcher duo continued to support the American actor – with whom they shared the set of the sitcom That ’70s Show at the end of the 90s – in writing letters to the judge in hopes of reducing the prison sentence he was facing. These missives, publicly revealed on September 9 by Variety, triggered the wrath of Internet users. Targeted by critics, Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis were quick to react in video. “We are aware of the pain caused by the letters we wrote,” they report. We support the victims and we will continue to do so in the future. These letters represent the person we have known for 24 years, and were written at the request of Danny’s family for the judge to consider. They were intended to be read by the judge and not to compromise the victims’ testimony or traumatize them in any way. We are sorry”
Before the judge’s verdict, the couple painted a glowing portrait of their former colleague in their letters. “Danny Masterson’s genuine care for others makes him an exceptional role model and friend,” reported Ashton Kutcher. “One of the most remarkable aspects of Danny’s personality is his unwavering commitment to discouraging drug use. The influence he had on me in this regard was invaluable. He is an extraordinary friend, a confidant and, above all, a wonderful substitute big brother for me,” Mila Kunis said in one of these missives.
The two actors aren’t the only ones to have written letters in support of Masterson. The comedians of the series That ’70s Show, Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith also wrote missives to the judge. The rape convict’s brother and sister, Malcom Christopher Masterson (Malcom) and Alanna Masterson (The Walking Dead), also took the side of their family member.