Controversial Ashton Kutcher Moments We Can't Forget About

The following article includes allegations of sexual assault, child abuse, criminal activity, sexism, and cultural appropriation.

Ashton Kutcher tends to stay out of the spotlight when he can help it these days. After a hugely successful career with shows like "That 70's Show," "Punk'd," and "Two and a Half Men" under his belt, he focuses more on family and business ventures than any new roles. This has in no way kept him from being the subject of major controversy, though, with several stories cropping up in recent years that have brought plenty of heat to the actor's life.

A 2024 controversy for Kutcher appears to stem from old comments with new context. In the wake of the Sean Diddy Combs arrest and allegations, many celebrities have found themselves in hot water, Kutcher included. Fans have pulled old clips of him talking about parties at Diddy's, and it's no secret that the two have been friends for over two decades. One user on X, formerly Twitter, posted old photos of Kutcher and Diddy together with a caption that read, "Remember Ashton Kutcher was good friends with Diddy...also remember Kutcher founded that sex trafficking organization..."

In an episode of "Hot Ones" from 2019, Kutcher was asked to share anything he could about the (even back then) famous parties Diddy threw. Kutcher said, "I've got a lot I can't tell," which is a heck of a quote with all the information that's come out about what allegedly went on at those parties. This might be one controversy that neither Kutcher nor his wife, Mila Kunis, can smooth over with a nonchalant apology.

Perhaps Ashton Kutcher's most controversial moment came in 2023. Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Danny Masterson had been close friends for decades, owing to their shared time on the sitcom "That 70's Show." In 2023 Masterson was convicted of the rape of two women during the early 2000s after a multi-year trial. It was the culmination of the events following Masterson being accused of several cases of sexual assault in 2017. But how did Kutcher and Kunis also end up being embroiled in the scandal?

During the trial, both Kutcher and Kunis submitted letters of support for Masterson that they thought would remain private. These were essentially testimonies of character in advance of Masterson's sentencing. This became problematic when the letters were publicized, as they appeared to be supporting their long-time friend and trying to help earn him some leniency. The couple posted a video on Instagram to apologize for writing their letters, though it was widely rejected for coming off as disingenuous. One of the women who came forward against Masterson anonymously contacted journalist Yashar Ali and said the recorded apology was "incredibly insulting and hurtful" (via BBC).

Kunis and Kutcher had been prominent leaders of Thorn, an anti-child-sex-abuse organization Kutcher co-founded in 2009. In the wake of the Masterson case and their apologies, they stepped down from their position in the organization, citing the distraction and pain caused by their actions.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

In 2012, Ashton Kutcher was featured in several ads for Popchips, a brand of potato chips. Four commercials were shot, with Kutcher playing a different character in each one. One of these characters was extremely problematic. It showed Kutcher playing an Indian man named Raj, who was a Bollywood producer in the ad. Unfortunately, the campaign decided that Kutcher would have his skin painted brown and use a bad Indian accent for the commercial. Oddly, he never even mentions Popchips at all.

It was quickly attacked by Indian-Americans for being offensive and racist. Tech entrepreneur Anil Dash took to his blog to call out the ad. He called it "a hackneyed, unfunny advertisement featuring Kutcher in brownface talking about his romantic options, with the entire punchline being that he's doing it in a fake-Indian outfit and voice. That's it, there's seriously no other gag" (via ABC News). While the company and its leadership were rather quick to apologize and pull the ad, Kutcher never mentioned it.

In 2017, Ashton Kutcher attempted to start a conversation on LinkedIn about the issues women face in the workplace. He listed off several questions that he believed were relevant and necessary, but they mostly revolved around dating and red lines when it came to professionalism in a work setting. He earned severe criticism, both on the job platform and beyond, for thinking that dating was a good place to start the conversation. Allegedly, even his wife, Mila Kunis, gave him a hard time for his choice of questions.

In this case, Kutcher ended up apologizing for his remarks. He posted a video on Facebook and released a series of tweets addressing the issue. He wrote, "thank you everyone for the feedback on the questions I posted on LinkedIn. Good and bad. Already a learning experience," and said in another tweet, "I've already offended some folks by asking the wrong questions. I'm certain given the sensitivity of the topic I will say other things wrong. Hope we can find space to be wrong in the pursuit of getting it right."

One wouldn't expect someone who founded an organization to protect children from sex trafficking to have a history of making inappropriate comments about underage girls, but here we are. Ashton Kutcher came under fire after resurfaced clips provided evidence of him doing exactly this. And it wasn't just an off-hand comment about a girl's appearance or even an isolated incident.

Clips from Kutcher's show "Punk'd" in 2003 show him making comments about waiting for Hilary Duff and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen to turn 18 so he can have a chance with them. In the video, he says, "She's one of those girls that we're all waiting for to turn 18. Along with the Olsen twins." He also goes on to list her accomplishments as reasons for wanting to date her. At the time of the comments, Duff was 15, and Kutcher was 25.

Kutcher's current wife, Mila Kunis, was also involved in his apparent enjoyment of underage girls. When filming for "That 70's Show" started, Kunis was 14-years-old. Another clip of Kutcher on "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" in 2002 shows him talking about her playing his on-screen love interest. He acknowledges her age, that kissing her was "slightly illegal," and jokes about their age difference (he is five years her senior). In another clip, Kutcher also says she was hotter at 14. This is far from the only red flag about Kunis and Kutcher's relationship.

Demi Moore leveled several accusations at Ashton Kutcher in her 2019 memoir "Inside Out." The couple were married from 2005 until their divorce was finalized in 2013. According to Moore, Kutcher cheated on her several times, including one allegedly disgusting moment during their sixth wedding anniversary weekend. Moore stated that the couple engaged in threesomes, which Kutcher used as a justification for his infidelity. There ended up being many reasons for Kutcher and Moore's divorce.

Moore went on to explain in "Inside Out" that a miscarriage early on in their marriage led to her misusing alcohol and drugs. She claimed that Kutcher shamed her over the struggles she went through, even allegedly telling her, "I don't know if alcoholism is a real thing — I think it's all about moderation." For his part, Kutcher denied some of the cheating allegations, though he remained silent about the rest of the claims Moore brought up in her 2019 memoir.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).