Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have been called out by Christina Ricci after they sent letters of support for their That ‘70s Show co-star Danny Masterson. Ahead of Masterson being sentenced to 30-years-to-life in prison for raping two women 20 years ago, the Hollywood couple wrote to the judge to “vouch” for their friend's character. Following backlash, Kunis and Kutcher posted an apology video on Instagram, but many found it to be disingenuous and poorly worded.
Ricci, star of the Addams Family and Yellowjackets, voiced her criticism in an Instagram story. Although she didn't mention anyone by name, her post seemed to be in direct response to Kunis and Kutcher's letter.
Ricci wrote, “So sometimes people we 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 we support victims – women, children, men, boys – then we must be able to take this stance,” she continued.
Adding that “unfortunately I’ve known lots of ‘awesome guys’ who were lovely to me but 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.”
Ricci, in her powerful message, has shown what being a true ally is. Believing victims is not a pick and choose ethos, it's one we must live by; if your support wavers when it's your friend/father/brother/sister/mother/cousin who is accused, then that is not support. Ricci, for example, knew Johnny Depp since she was a child and they starred in multiple films together. And yet, she still (very publicly) supported Amber Heard during the Depp v Heard trial.
On May 31, Masterson was found guilty by a majority decision after seven days of deliberations, but the jury could not reach a verdict on the third count allegedly involving another woman. Jane Doe 1 said of the actor, “You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent. The world is better off with you in prison.”
Following the conviction, it was revealed that Kutcher and Kunis were two of more than 50 people who wrote to the judge to support Masterson ahead of his sentencing. An excerpt from Kunis’ letter calls him an “amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure. His genuine concern for those around him and his commitment to leading by example make him an outstanding role model and friend.” She also said “Danny Masterson’s warmth, humour, and positive outlook on life have been a driving force in shaping my character and the way I approach life’s challenges. I wholeheartedly vouch for Danny Masterson’s exceptional character and the tremendous positive influence he has had on me and the people around him.”
Kutcher wrote in his letter: “While I’m aware that the judgement has been cast as guilty on two counts of rape by force and the victims have a great desire for justice, I hope that my testament to his character is taken into consideration in sentencing. I do not believe he is an ongoing harm to society and having his daughter raised without a present father would be a tertiary injustice in and of itself. Thank you for taking the time to read this.”
In their joint apology video, posted to Instagram on Saturday, Kutcher said to the camera “We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters that we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson.” Continuing to say “We support victims. We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.” Kunis added that “The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system, or the validity of the jury’s ruling.”
Kunis and Kutcher's letter, and subsequent apology, are extremely disappointing. Kutcher founded a non-profit organisation that is an “international anti-human trafficking organisation that works to address the sexual exploitation of children,” and yet he asked for leniency in Masterson's case. Kunis portrayed a victim of sexual assault in the 2022 film Luckiest Girl Alive. It's a punch to the gut to victims everywhere, and a stark reminder that even those who position and brand themselves as believing victims don't when it comes to men they personally know.
Statistics show that in England and Wales, 1 in 4 women have been raped or sexually assaulted as an adult; 1 in 6 children have been sexually abused; 1 in 18 men have been raped or sexually assaulted as an adult. Less than 2 in 100 rapes recorded by police in England and Wales in 2022 resulted in a charge that same year, let alone a conviction. The reality is similar in the US, where Masterson was convicted — out of every 1,000 sexual assaults, 975 perpetrators will walk free.
The evidence against Masterson must have been extremely damming — a famous white man from Hollywood, who is part of the Church of Scientology — to have been convicted and sentenced to 30-years. Kunis and Kutcher were aware of his sentencing when they wrote their letters, but still took his side.
When 1 in 4 women have been raped or sexually assaulted; 6 in 7 rapes against women are carried out by someone they know; and 98% of adults prosecuted for sexual offences are men, the likelihood is that you personally know a man who has raped or sexually assaulted a woman. That is the grim reality. And that is why it's so important, life-saving even, to believe victims - even when it's your “amazing friend” who is being accused.
