Mila Kunis reveals Danny Masterson bet Ashton Kutcher to ‘French kiss’ her when she was a ’14-year-old little girl’ in resurfaced 2002 interview… amid backlash over couple’s support of convicted rapist
- An old clip from a Rosie O’Donnell interview had been circulating amid backlash over the couple’s support of Masterson
- Kutcher, 45, and Kunis, 40, on Saturday publicly apologized for letters they wrote to the judge sentencing Masterson in the wake of his rape conviction
- An LA judge Thursday sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003
Mila Kunis claimed that when she was 14, Danny Masterson had bet Ashton Kutcher, daring him to ‘French kiss’ her during production of That 70s Show.
The clip of Kutcher, 45, and Kunis, 40 – which came from a joint interview on The Rosie O’Donnell Show that aired in April of 2002 – resurfaced as the pair was in the headlines Saturday after publicly apologizing for letters they wrote in praise of Masterson to the judge sentencing the actor his rape conviction.
The 2002 clip occurred during the early years of the Fox comedy, which ran from 1998-2006 and starred Kunis, Kutcher and Masterson in the respective roles of Jackie Burkhart, Michael Kelso and Steven Hyde.
At the time of the interview, Kutcher was 24 and Kunis was 19. They chat with O’Donnell about how early on in the show, the script called for their characters to be ‘making out’ in a scene.
‘I’m like thinking this is slightly illegal, right,’ said Kutcher, noting the young age of his costar.
The latest: Mila Kunis claimed in a interview on The Rosie O’Donnell Show that aired in April of 2002 that when she was 14, Danny Masterson had bet Ashton Kutcher, daring him to ‘French kiss’ her during production of That 70s Show
Details: A Los Angeles judge Thursday sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003. Pictured in May with wife Bijou Phillips on the way to court
Kunis said that the scripted kiss was the first time she ever had ever been kissed, and it occurred during the first week of filming on the retro comedy.
‘I never kissed a guy … I was a 14-year-old little girl and I was extremely scared for my life,’ Kunis said.
Kunis explained how Masterson offered to wager Kutcher $10 to French kiss her: ‘Danny goes, “Dude, I’ll give you $10 if you French kiss her,”‘ Kunis said, turning to Kutcher and asking, ‘What, if you stick your tongue in my mouth?’
Kutcher said that Kunis was ‘making it sound like it was really’ lecherous, conceding that he and Masterson ‘had a little side bet going’ on the kiss.
Kutcher said Masterson wagered him $20 that he ‘wouldn’t do it,’ and he said he would, saying it was consistent with what was called for in the script.
O’Donnell joked, ‘And then the cops showed up and you got arrested , pretty much.’
Kunis and Kutcher were at odds over whether he actually kissed her, as she said, ‘I didn’t let him … he never got his tongue in my mouth.’
Kutcher said he actually believed Kunis was 15 at the time of the exchange, adding, ‘There’s a big difference – that one year makes the whole world change.’
Throwback: The show starred Kunis, Kutcher and Masterson in the respective roles of Jackie Burkhart, Michael Kelso and Steven Hyde. Pictured with costars Topher Grace, Wilmer Valderrama and Laura Prepon
21 years ago: The 2002 clip occurred during the early years of the Fox comedy, which ran from 1998-2006
Background: Kunis said that the scripted kiss was the first time she ever had ever been kissed, and it occurred during the first week of filming on the retro comedy
Statement: Kutcher said that Kunis was ‘making it sound like it was really’ lecherous, conceding that he and Masterson ‘had a little side bet going’ on the kiss
Bet: Kutcher said Masterson wagered him $20 that he ‘wouldn’t do it,’ and he said he would, saying it was consistent with what was called for in the script
Memory: Kunis and Kutcher were at odds over whether he actually kissed her, as she said, ‘I didn’t let him … he never got his tongue in my mouth’
Kunis and Kutcher had issued a contrite clip days after a Los Angeles judge Thursday sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003.
In a video posted on Instagram Saturday, Kutcher and Kunis said they were sorry for the pain they may have caused with the letters, which were made public Friday.
Kutcher said the letters that asked for leniency ‘were intended for the judge to read and not to undermine the testimony of the victims or retraumatize them in any way.
‘We would never want to do that and we’re sorry if that has taken place.’
Kutcher said Masterson’s family approached them after the actor was convicted in the rapes in May and asked them to write character letters describing ‘the person that we knew for 25 years.’
Masterson had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy The Ranch, but was written off the show when the Los Angeles Police Department investigation was revealed the following year.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo handed down the sentence to Masterson, 47, after hearing statements from the women, and pleas for fairness from defense attorneys.
Kutcher described Masterson as a man who treated people ‘with decency, equality, and generosity,’ he wrote in his letter dated July 27, 2023.
Clarification: Kutcher said he actually believed Kunis was 15 at the time of the exchange, adding, ‘There’s a big difference – that one year makes the whole world change’
Response: Kunis and Kutcher had issued a contrite clip days after a Los Angeles judge Thursday sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003
Kunis in her letter to Olmedo called Masterson ‘an outstanding role model and friend’ and an ‘exceptional older brother figure.’
Both rapes took place in Masterson´s Hollywood-area home in 2003 when he was at the height of his fame on That ´70s Show. The victims testified that Masterson drugged them before violently raping them .
Kunis said in the apology video that their letters did not mean to undermine the testimony of victims.
‘Our heart goes out to every single person who´s ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape,’ she said.
Christina Ricci appeared to have weighed in on the controversy surrounding their decision to pen character letters to the judge as she took to Instagram on Saturday night to air out her grievances, urging people to ‘believe victims.’
The 43-year-old Addams Family actress did not name Kutcher or Kunis explicitly, but statements shared on her page seemed to be directed at the couple, who have come under fire for their support of Masterson.
The married pair acknowledged the backlash in a joint video apology shared online Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday Christina reemerged via Instagram Stories to clarify that she wasn’t referring specifically to the Kutchers, although she admitted that ‘recent events have made’ her ‘think more about this.’
Speaking up: Christina Ricci appears to have weighed in on the Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis controversy surrounding their decision to pen character letters to the judge in Danny Masterson ‘s case after his double rape conviction
Complicated: Ricci did not name Kutcher, 45, or Kunis, 40, explicitly, but statements shared on her page seemed to be directed at the couple, who have come under fire for their support of Masterson
In white font typed against a black background, Christina wrote, ‘Unfortunately I’ve known lots of ‘awesome guys’ who were lovely to me who have been proven to be abusers privately.
‘I’ve also had personal experience with this. Believe victims. It’s not easy to come forward. It’s not easy to get a conviction.’
In a separate slide, she continued, ‘So sometimes people we have loved and admired do horrible things.
‘They might not do these things to us and we only know who they were to us but that doesn’t mean they didn’t do the horrible things and to discredit the abused is a crime.’
‘People we know as “awesome guys” can be predators and abusers. It’s tough to accept but we have to. If we say support victims – women, children, men, boys – then we must be able to take this stance,’ the note concluded.
On Sunday morning, the mother-of-two was back online to say that she hadn’t intended to call out Ashton and Mila.
‘What I wrote wasn’t meant to seem so pointed,’ she began in the post to her 1.6 million followers.
‘It’s just something I’ve been thinking about generally as different individual’s wrongdoings have come to light over the past couple of years and I too have found it difficult to reconcile the person or people I knew with the things they’ve done.’
She finished, ‘But, yes, recent events have made me think more about this.’
Christina’s take: In white font typed against a black background, Christina wrote, ‘Unfortunately I’ve known lots of “awesome guys” who were lovely to me who have been proven to be abusers privately
More to say: In a separate slide, she continued, ‘So sometimes people we have loved and admired do horrible things’
Clarity: Sunday morning the mother-of-two was back online to say she hadn’t intended to call out Ashton and Mila
Masterson had no reaction as Olmedo handed down her decision – 15 years for each felony rape, with the sentences to run consecutively.
Words used in the celebrity testimonies couldn’t be more opposite to the sentiments used by his victims.
At the sentencing trial, Jane Doe #1 called Masterson a ‘true coward and heartless monster,’ adding that to this day she suffer from an extreme fear of the dark and frequently wakes up crying.
Kutcher and Kunis worked with Masterson on That 70s Show – but they weren’t the only cast members to speak up.
Former That 70s Show star Debra Jo Rupp, who played the hilarious Kitty Forman, also shared her support.
‘Danny was always respectful and kind,’ she said. ‘On show days when the camera crew would come in, Danny was the one that shook each camera man’s hand before we started. He knew everyone’s name, where they lived and about their families. I did not.’
Rupp added: ‘He was loved. Over the years Danny is one of the few that came to support me by seeing my shows in the theater.
‘He brought his family sometimes. And it was a joy. And so appreciated.’
His fate: Danny was sentenced 30 years to life for drugging and raping two women in the early 2000s
Kurtwood Smith, who played Rupp’s husband Robert Griggs, also submit a letter.
‘I consider Danny a talented, hardworking, giving actor. I have viewed him being respectful and considerate to those he has worked with,’ he said.
‘He has been a leader and positive force among his peers. He has seemed loving and caring, not only towards his wife and daughter, but his family at large.’
Other stars included in documents include Sneaky Pete star Giovanni Ribisi, William Baldwin, who is married to Chynna Phillips – Masterson’s wife’s sister, and TV producer Shawn Piller.
DailyMail.com has reached out to reps for Kutcher and Kunis for comment.
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