Mila Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher have been seen for the first time since it was revealed that the couple feared they would be canceled for speaking out.support for convicted rapist and That ’70s Show co-star Danny Masterson.
The couple were criticized for sharing letters of support for Masterson and “begging the judge for leniency” following a trial in which he was found guilty of kidnapping two women and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Following the backlash, insiders said they were concerned that “all this damage” could harm their careers and have since shared an apology video, with Ashton stepping down as chairman of his anti-child sexual abuse organization.
The couple reportedly want to stay out of the public eye for the foreseeable future in the hope that people will “forget” about the scandal they were involved in.
However, they were spotted walking hand in hand along a busy sidewalk after their date in Largo in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The pair looked pensive, heads down and engaged in conversation as they left the couple’s cabaret together.
Mila wore a practical khaki jumpsuit and white shoes, while looking fresh and wearing minimal makeup.
Meanwhile, Ashton wore a T-shirt with Lucky Charms cereal, jeans and boots, and kept it low-key in a blue baseball cap.
The backlash also led to Ashton and Mila’s relationship being called into question, with many pointing out that the Ted actress, now 40, was just 14 when she was cast on That ’70s Show alongside the then-19-year-old summer actor
The couple, who married in 2015 and have two daughters, are said to have received a “saving grace” on Fox’s Family Guy (Mila voices Meg) that will help them financially during the crisis.
“They legitimately feel they are being cancelled,” a source exclusively told DailyMail.com. “Ashton was looking forward to a low-key weekend of watching football and hanging out with his fantasy football teams.
“With all the people bashing them, it’s not going away anytime soon and they feel it. They hope that over time people will forget or move on from their criticism.
“But for now, they expect the damage from all of this to impact future film and television work.”
They continued: “One saving grace from a financial perspective. Mila’s voice work will continue on Family Guy and will stay with her forever. The cast and crew of Family Guy will support her.”
Following his shock conviction, Danny Ashton has come under renewed scrutiny as old footage of his past alleged problematic behavior has surfaced. Danny was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting two women in 2003.
One of the videos back in the spotlight comes from an episode of MTV’s Punk’d and shows 25-year-old Ashton making questionable comments about Hilary Duff when she was just 15 years old.
“She’s one of those girls we all look forward to when they turn 18. Along with the Olsen twins,” he said.
The insider added that Ashton knows the comment “hasn’t aged well.”
Ashton understands that people criticize him for having the Olsen twins, and Hilary Duff noted that this is not good for his age,” they said.
“This wave that hit them because of this contradiction is not interesting to deal with; they try to hide and survive it as best as possible. They’re not going to be around much anytime soon.”
Amid the backlash, Ashton resigned from the anti-child sexual abuse organization he founded called Thorne.
In a letter written to the organization’s board in which he announced his resignation, he called his and Mila’s involvement in Danny’s case an “error in judgment.”
“Victims of sexual violence have historically been silenced, and the statement I have submitted is yet another painful example of the questioning of victims who are brave enough to share their experiences,” he said.
“After my wife and I spent several days listening, personally reflecting, learning and talking with survivors, as well as Thorn employees and management, I decided that the most responsible thing for me to do would be to step down as Chairman of the Board, almost immediately. .
“I cannot allow my error in judgment to detract from our efforts and the children we serve.”
The celebrity couple’s relationship has also recently been called into question, with a former That ’70s Show producer telling DailyMail.com that the couple were “crazy about each other” and were “flirty” on set, but that Ashton knew his “boundaries” and waited until Mila reaches adulthood to make a move.
“Everyone who worked on the show saw the first signs that Ashton and Mila were crazy about each other,” they said.
“But as for the rumors that something happened between Mila and Ashton before she turned 18… if that’s true, then they kept it a secret.
“They were flirty, but they were co-stars, and Mila was incredibly mature for her age. Ashton knew where the line was, and so did Danny.”
They added that the couple always acted professionally and that the flirting seemed innocent, insisting that the actress seemed more like a “little sister” to the other actors than anything else.
Their comments come after a clip from Rosie O’Donnell’s 2002 talk show surfaced in which Mila admitted she was “really scared” about having to kiss her older co-star for the show.
She said it happened in the first week of filming, when she was just 14 years old, and described herself as a “little girl” who had never kissed anyone on the lips before.
Ashton then revealed that he and Danny made a “little side bet” on the kiss, in which Danny offered him $10 to “French kiss her.”
“I’m thinking, ‘This is a little illegal, right?’ – Ashton said, hinting at Mila’s young age.
Despite this, he said he agreed to the bet and ended up kissing Mila, but she told the talk show host it was just a kiss, stating: “He never put his tongue in my mouth.”
Speaking about the kiss, a source told DailyMail.com: “This kiss was scripted and they are actors.
“Ashton was wary of it and eventually realized it was just a scene and he was just an actor.”
They added that despite all the attention swirling around the show, “there will be an investigation” into everyone involved, but no one was worried about it because there was “nothing to hide.”
“It appears that there will be an investigation involving the crew and people who worked on the series,” they said.
“But everyone will probably cooperate because there is nothing to hide.”
Mila and Ashton officially started dating in 2012, six years after the show ended. They got married in 2015 and have two children.
In their letters to the court, obtained by DailyMail.com, the couple spoke highly of Danny, saying he always “treated people with decency, equality and generosity.”
“He is an extraordinarily honest and driven man,” Ashton wrote in his letter to the judge.
“In 25 years of relationship, I don’t remember him lying to me. He taught me to be direct and deal with problems in life and relationships directly, solve them and move forward.”
In her statement, Mila said she “sincerely” vouches for Danny’s “exceptional character” and the “immense positive impact” he has on those around him, including her.
She stated that Danny is an “outstanding role model” and noted his strength in abstaining from drugs.
“His commitment to avoiding all substances inspired not only me, but countless others in our circle,” she said.
“Danny’s persistence in promoting a drug-free lifestyle has been a guiding light in my journey through the world of entertainment and has helped me prioritize my well-being and focus on making responsible decisions.”
Danny was found guilty of two counts of rape back in May and was sentenced to 30 years in prison last week.
After Mila and Ashton’s letters were made public, they faced an onslaught of criticism from people all over the world, including other stars – and even one of Danny’s victims.
The woman, whose name has not been released, called their letters “incredibly offensive and hurtful.”
“I hope they learn radical responsibility and the importance of educating themselves to take control of their privilege,” she said.
The couple then apologized, posting a short video on their social media accounts in which they insisted they “support victims.”
Ashton, co-founder of Thorn, a non-profit organization that fights child exploitation, said: “We recognize the pain caused by the letters we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson.
“We support the victims,” Mila added. “We have achieved this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.”
Ashton continued: “Danny’s family approached us a couple of months ago and asked us to write letters representing the man we had known for 25 years so that the judge could take that fully into account when sentencing.”
Mila went on to say, “The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the court system or the validity of the jury’s decision.
“They were intended to be read by a judge. And not undermine the credibility of victim witnesses or re-traumatize them in any way.”
“We would never want to do that. And we are sorry if this happened,” Ashton emphasized.
“Our heart goes out to every person who has ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual assault or rape,” Mila concluded.