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What did Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis say about letters of support for Danny Masterson?
Kutcher and Kunis have released a video statement explaining their decision to write character letters for Masterson before he was sentenced for rape.
On Thursday, the actor Danny Masterson, who is best known for his role as Steven Hyde on the TV series That ‘70s Show, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after being convicted of two counts of rape.
Before he was sentenced, more than 50 people sent letters to the judge in support of Masterson, including former That ‘70s Show co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.
Now, having faced criticism for their backing of the 47-year-old, Kutcher and Kunis have explained their decision to write to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo.
Kutcher and Kunis’ statement in full:
In a joint video statement posted on social media, Kutcher and Kunis - who have been married since 2015 - said: “We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson.
“We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.
“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.
“The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling. They were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or re-traumatise them in any way. We would never want to do that. We’re sorry if that has taken place.
“Our heart goes out to every single person who has ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape.”
What did Kutcher, Kunis say in letters to judge?
In his letter to the judge, Kutcher described Masterson as a “role model” and “an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being”.
Meanwhile, Kunis spoke of Masterson’s “exceptional character”, writing: “I first met Danny during our time working together on That ‘70s Show, and from the very beginning, I could sense his innate goodness and genuine nature.”