All the celebs who have spoken out following the Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher video
‘Believe victims. It’s not easy to come forward. It’s not easy to get a conviction’
Over the weekend, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher received serious backlash after character letters they’d written about former co-star Danny Masterson were posted. The couple shared they had written the statements about Masterson, who has been sentenced for raping two women. Now, following their written letters, a number of celebs have commented on the Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher situation.
In the letters from July 2023, Mila and Ashton described Danny Masterson as someone who treated people “with decency, equality, and generosity” and as “an outstanding role model and friend”. Victims testified Masterson had drugged and raped them at his house, during the height of his fame on That ’70s Show.
Since then, a number of celebs and well known faces have called out Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis for their choice to do this, as well as the apology video they posted on Instagram following the backlash.
Amy Schumer mocked the letters Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis wrote
This week, Amy Schumer poked fun at Nicole Kidman for how she was pictured sitting at the US Open. She deleted the post, and in her apology took a swipe at Mila and Ashton instead.
“I want to apologise to all the people I hurt posting a photo of Nicole Kidman and alluding to her being an alien,” she wrote on Instagram. “I will be asking the cast of That ’70s Show to write letters advocating for my forgiveness #takingtimetoheal.” This post has since been deleted, too.
Christina Ricci also appeared to comment on the controversy
Whilst not mentioning Mila or Ashton by name, or directly referencing this case, actress Christina Ricci appeared to comment on what happened, and the backlash it caused.
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She 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.” In their apology video, Mila said: “We support victims. Our heart goes out to every single person who’s ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape.”
Christina added: “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.”
Christina then followed with another comment about how we should be focusing on supporting survivors
Following people noticing her comments, Christina followed up with another statement saying we should focus on supporting survivors, instead of Ashton and Mila.
“We should all be focusing on the act itself, the incredible irreparable harm it caused and supporting the survivors,” she said to a comment on Instagram. “As we should always. Rape is like a death. Who you were is gone. Your peace is gone. People need to understand this. The degradation lives with you forever.”
‘Nobody can make anybody more or less guilty of rape’
Australian activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault, Grace Tame, posted a video on her Instagram, strongly discussing the situation. She said no matter what Ashton and Mila’s letters were in hope of achieving, “nobody can make anybody more or less guilty of rape”.
“Can the mainstream media please stop over emphasising the words of alleged and convicted rapists and their friends defending – and therefore enabling – their behaviour,” she said.
“Rape is not a debate, it’s not a democracy. Nobody’s verbal testimony, including mine, can make anybody any more or less materially guilty of rape. Nobody’s verbal testimony can make anybody more or less a victim of rape. And by over-emphasising the words of rapists, alleged or convicted, and their friends defending them, we are perpetuating the myth that we can argue this.”
Rape Crisis offers support for anyone affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit the website www.rapecrisis.org.uk.
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Featured image via Instagram @tamepunk, @aplusk and @riccigrams