Mila Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher were seen for the first time since it was revealed the couple fear they will be cancelled for after voicing their support for the convicted rapist and That 70’s Show co-star Danny Masterson.
The couple have come under fire for sharing letters of support for Masterson and ‘begging the judge for leniency’ during the trial, where he was convicted of raping two women and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Following the backlash, insiders claimed they are worried that the ‘damage of it all’ could be detrimental to their careers and have since shared an apology video and Ashton has stepped down as chair of his anti-child sex abuse organisation.
The couple are reportedly wanted to stay out of the spotlight for the foreseeable in the hope that people ‘forget’ about the scandal they have been wrapped up in.
However they were spotted walking hand in hand as they navigate through the busy sidewalk after a date at Largo in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Braving it: Mila Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher were seen for the first time since it was revealed the couple fear they will be cancelled for after voicing their s upport for the convicted rapist and That 70’s Show co-star Danny Masterson
The couple looked pensive as they kept their heads down and engaged in conversation as they left the cabaret couple together.
Mila was dressed in a khaki utility-style jumpsuit with a pair of white pumps, while she appeared fresh-faced with minimal make-up.
Meanwhile, Ashton sported a Lucky Charms cereal brand T-shirt with jeans and boots, while cutting a low-key figure in a blue baseball cap.
The backlash has also seen Ashton and Mila’s relationship called into question, with many highlighting how the Ted actress, now 40, was only 14 years old when she was cast in the hit series, alongside the then-19-year-old actor.
The couple, who got married in 2015 and have two daughters, are said to have a ‘saving grace’ in Fox cartoon sitcom Family Guy – Mila voices Meg – which will help them financially during the fallout.
‘They legitimately feel like they are getting canceled,’ a source told DailyMail.com exclusively. ‘Ashton was looking forward to this past weekend being very low-key and devoted to watching football and dealing with his fantasy football teams.
‘With all the people railing against them, it isn’t going to go away anytime soon, and they are feeling it. They are hoping as time passes, people will forget and or move on from their criticism.
‘But as of right now, they are anticipating that the damage of it all might affect obtaining future work in film and TV.’
Outing: They were spotted walking hand in hand as they navigate through the busy sidewalk after a date at Largo in Los Angeles on Wednesday
They continued: ‘One saving grace financially speaking. Mila’s voice work will continue on Family Guy, she will have that forever. The cast and crew of Family Guy has her back.’
Ashton has faced fresh scrutiny, with old videos resurfacing of his past alleged problematic behavior, in the wake of Danny’s shocking conviction. Danny was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting two women in 2003.
One video that has made its way back into the spotlight is from an episode of MTV series Punk’d and shows a then-25-year-old Ashton making a questionable comment about Hilary Duff when she was just 15 years old.
‘She’s one of the girls that we’re all waiting for to turn 18. Along with the Olsen twins,’ he said.
The insider added that Ashton knows that the comment ‘didn’t age well.’
Fearful: Ashton and Mila, pictured on That 70’s Show, feel they are about to be cancelled over their support of co-star Danny Masterson
Problematic: In a 2003 episode of his show Punk’d, then 25-year-old Ashton said he was waiting for 15-year-old Hilary ‘to turn 18’ along with the Olsen twins
Under fire: The couple have come under fierce scrutiny in recent weeks – after it was revealed that they had supported their That ’70s Show co-star, and convicted rapist, Danny
Questionable: Many have called into question Mila and Ashton’s relationship as she was only 14 years old when she was cast in the series, while Ashton was 19
Ashton understands people giving him s**t for the Olsen Twins and Hilary Duff comment, that didn’t age well,’ they said.
‘The entire wave that has hit them with this controversy is not fun to deal with, they are looking to lay low and ride it out the best that they can. They aren’t going to be making many appearances any time soon.’
Amid the backlash, Ashton stepped down from the anti-child sex abuse organization that he co-founded, called Thorne.
In a letter written to the organization’s board announcing that he is resigning, he described his and Mila’s involvement in Danny’s case an ‘error in judgement.’
‘Victims of sexual abuse have been historically silenced and the character statement I submitted is yet another painful instance of questioning victims who are brave enough to share their experiences,’ he said.
‘Flirty’: A source has told DailyMail.com that while their chemistry was obvious from the start, Ashton knew his ‘boundaries’ and waited until she was of age to make a move
‘After my wife and I spent several days of listening, personal reflection, learning, and conversations with survivors and the employees and leadership at Thorn, I have determined the responsible thing for me to do is resign as Chairman of the Board, effectively immediately.
‘I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve.’
The celebrity couple’s relationship has also been called into question recently, with a former producer from That 70’s Show telling DailyMail.com that the pair were ‘crazy about each other’ and ‘flirty’ on set – but that Ashton knew his ‘boundaries’ and waited until Mila was of age to make a move.
‘Everyone who worked on the show could see the early signs that Ashton and Mila were crazy about each other,’ they revealed.
‘But as far as the allegations that there was anything going on between Mila and Ashton before she was 18… if so, they kept it under wraps.
‘They were flirty, but they were co-stars, and Mila was incredibly mature for her age. Ashton knew what the boundary was as did Danny.’
They added that the pair always kept it professional, and that the flirting seemed innocent – insisting that the actress seemed more like a ‘little sister’ than anything else to the other cast members.
Their comments came as a resurfaced clip from Rosie O’Donnell’s talk show in 2002 showed Mila admitting that she was ‘extremely scared’ about having to kiss her older co-star for the show.
She said it happened during the first week of filming, when she was only 14, and described herself as a ‘little girl’ who had never locked lips with anyone before.
Ashton then revealed that he and Danny set a ‘little side bet’ about the kiss, which saw Danny offering him $10 to ‘French kiss her.’
Danny was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting two women in 2003. He and Ashton are seen in 2017
‘I’m thinking, “This is slightly illegal, right?”‘ Ashton said, alluding to Mila’s young age.
Even so, he said he agreed to the bet and ended up kissing Mila, but she told the talk show host that it was just a peck, stating: ‘He never got his tongue in my mouth.’
Addressing the kiss, the source insisted to DailyMail.com: ‘That kiss was scripted, and they are actors.
‘Ashton was wary about it and eventually realized that it was just a scene and he was just an actor.’
They added that with all the scrutiny swirling around the show, there’s ‘going to be an investigation’ into everyone who was involved – but no one was worried about it because there’s ‘nothing to hide.’
‘From what is being said, there is going to be an investigation with the crew and people who worked on the show,’ they revealed.
‘But everyone will for sure be cooperative because there is nothing to hide.’
Kiss: Mila said she kissed Ashton during the first week of filming, when she was 14, and described herself as a ‘little girl’ who had never locked lips with anyone before
Acting: A source told DailyMail.com that the controversial kiss was simply acting and nothing more, insisting: ‘It was just a scene’
Mila and Ashton officially started dating in 2012, six years after the show came to an end. They married in 2015 and have two children together.
In their letters to the court, which were obtained by DailyMail.com, the couple spoke highly of Danny, claiming he always ‘treated people with decency, equality, and generosity.’
‘He’s an extraordinarily honest and intentional human being,’ Ashton wrote in his letter to the judge.
‘Over 25 year relationship, I don’t ever recall him lying to me. He’s taught me about being direct and confronting issues in life and relationships head-on, resolving them, and moving forward.’
In hers, Mila said that she ‘wholeheartedly’ vouched for Danny’s ‘exceptional character’ and the ‘tremendous positive influence’ he has on those around him, including her.
She went to assert that Danny is an ‘outstanding role model’ and celebrated his strength in staying away from drugs.
‘His dedication to avoiding all substances has inspired not only me but also countless others in our circle,’ she gushed.
‘Danny’s steadfastness in promoting a drug-free lifestyle has been a guiding light in my journey through the entertainment world and has helped me prioritize my well-being and focus on making responsible choices.’
Investigation: The source added that owing to the scrutiny around the show, there is ‘going to be an investigation’ into everyone involved – but no one is worried about it because there’s ‘nothing to hide’
Apology: The couple issued an apology for their support of Danny, sharing a short video to their social media accounts in which they insisted that they ‘support victims’
Danny was convicted on two counts of rape back in May, and he was sentenced to 30 years behind bars last week.
After Mila and Ashton’s letters were made public, they faced an onslaught of criticism from people all across the globe, including other stars – and even one of Danny’s victims.
The woman, whose name has not been shared, called their letters ‘incredibly insulting and hurtful.’
‘My hope is that they learn radical accountability and the importance of self-education to learn when to keep their privilege in check,’ she said.
The couple then issued an apology, sharing a short video to their social media accounts in which they insisted that they ‘support victims.’
Ashton, who co-founded Thorn, an nonprofit organization that works to stop the exploitation of children, said: ‘We are aware of the pain that has been caused by the character letters we wrote on behalf of Danny Masterson.
‘We support victims,’ Mila added. ‘We have done this historically through our work and will continue to do so in the future.’
Younger years: Ashton has faced scrutiny from people dragging up his past in the wake of the fallout from Danny’s sentencing
Ashton continued: ‘A couple months ago, Danny’s family reached out to us and they asked us to write character letters to represent the person that we knew for 25 years so that the judge could take that into full consideration relative to the sentencing.’
Mila went on to say: ‘The letters were not written to question the legitimacy of the judicial system or the validity of the jury’s ruling.
‘They were intended for the judge to read. And not to undermine the testimonies of the victims or re-traumatize them in any way.’
‘We would never want to do that. And we are sorry if that has taken place,’ Ashton emphasized.
‘Our heart goes out to every single person that has ever been a victim of sexual assault, sexual abuse or rape,’ Mila concluded.
