One day after it was reported that married couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis wrote letters in support of their That 70’s Show co-star, convicted rapist Danny Masterson, Kutcher and Kunis posted a video on Saturday of themselves addressing, but not quite apologizing for, the uproar their letters caused.
This week, Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women at his home in 2003.
“We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson,” Kutcher begins.
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“We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future,” Kunis continues.
“A couple of months ago, Danny’s family reached out to us asking 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,” Kutcher says, picking things back up.
“The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system, or the validity of the jury’s ruling,” Kunis adds.
“They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way,” Kutcher says. “We would never want to do that. And we’re sorry if that has taken place.”
“Our heart goes out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape,” Kunis concludes.
In Kutcher’s letter, which was published by journalist Meghann Cuniff, the actor wrote that Masterson is an “extraordinarily honest and intentional human being.”
Mila Kunis’s letter is similarly glowing: “From the very beginning, I could sense his innate goodness and genuine nature,” she wrote of Masterson. “Throughout our time together, Danny has proven to be an amazing friend, confidant and older brother figure to me.”
Yikes.
While 70’s star Topher Grace has not commented publicly on the Masterson matter, his wife, Ashley, posted the following on her Instagram story on Friday, the day after Masterson was sentenced: “To every rape victim that is retraumatized by witnessing society debate and focus their attention on what is going to happen to the RAPIST … I see you.”
