Ashton Kutcher broke his social media silence on Thanksgiving Day two months after fellow That's '70s Show alum Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years for raping two women in 2003.
Wishing his followers a Happy Thanksgiving, Kutcher wrote that "being present isn’t responding and reacting to every inbound stimulus."
The father of two ended his post with a questionable statement, adding, "I’m Thankful for “No comment”, thankful for learning, thankful for listening. Thankful for sharing this life with you."
The "no comment" bit potentially alludes to Kutcher and his wife, Mila Kunis (who was also on That '70s Show), submitting letters in support of Masterson to a Los Angeles court before the actor's sentencing.
"While I’m aware that the judgment has been cast as guilty on two counts of rape by force and the victims have a great desire for justice," Kutcher wrote. "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."
Kunis added that Masterson inspired his 9-year-old daughter, Fianna, to have "values that reflect integrity, compassion, and respect for others."
"Throughout our time together, Danny has proven to be an amazing friend, confidant, and, above all, an outstanding older brother figure to me," she wrote. "His caring nature and ability to offer guidance have been instrumental in my growth both personally and professionally."
One day after the letters were publicized, Kutcher and Kunis addressed its release, with Kutcher saying that "they were intended for the judge to read."
He added, "And not to undermine the testimony of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way. We would never want to do that. And we’re sorry if that has taken place."
"The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling," Kunis said.
In September, Kutcher resigned from being a board chair for his co-founded non-profit Thorn, an anti-child sex abuse organization. "I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve," Kutcher wrote in a statement, also apologizing "to all victims of sexual violence and everyone at Thorn who I hurt by what I did."
