(Scripps News) — Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are apologizing for the “pain” they caused over letters they wrote in support of their former castmate and convicted rapist Danny Masterson.
The character letters were written to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo, who ultimately gave Masterson 30 years in prison after he was convicted of two counts of rape in May.
FILE – Ashton Kutcher, left, and Mila Kunis arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The couple are apologizing for character letters they wrote on behalf of actor Danny Masterson ahead of this week’s sentencing of their fellow “That ’70s Show” cast member. A judge in Los Angeles on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, sentenced Masterson to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
The famous pair faced backlash when the letters were made public on Friday.
“We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future,” Kunis said in a video on Instagram.
Kutcher explained that a few months ago, Masterson’s family reached out and asked them to write character letters “to represent the person that we knew for 25 years.”
“The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling,” Kunis said.
Kutcher said the letters were not meant to undermine the testimony of the victims or “retraumatize them” in any way. “We’re sorry if that has taken place,” he said.
In the letters, both Kunis and Kutcher credited Masterson with helping them stay away from drugs. They called him a “great role model,” ” kind,” and a “loving and responsible parent.” Court TV obtained the letters, among other news outlets.
WATCH: Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher Pen Letters Supporting Danny Masterson
The “That ’70s Show” actor has been in custody since May, when he was found guilty of raping two women two decades ago. The women testified in court in the spring, with one calling him “disturbing and completely violent,” and the other saying that “he has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused,” according to The Associated Press.
Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology, of which the women were members, to avoid consequences for years after the attacks, AP said. The women blamed their church for their hesitancy in stepping forward.
A third woman from the church also alleged Masterson raped her, but her case left the jury deadlocked.
