Ashton Kutcher is breaking his monthslong silence since he resigned from his anti-sex abuse organization Thorn in September after writing a letter of support for his former "That '70s Show" co-star Danny Masterson, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping two women more than two decades ago.
Kutcher wished his followers a happy Thanksgiving in a post on X on Nov. 23, in addition to his reflections on being present.
"In addition to life, love, health, & friendship. This year let’s acknowledge being present. Being present isn’t responding and reacting to every inbound stimulus. It’s experiencing, then having the wherewithal to not react. Digest, feel, learn, take inventory, & square this new experience with past experiences. Create a refined perspective to live with until something else refines it further. That’s being present," Kutcher said.
Get New England news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NECN newsletters.
He added: "I’m Thankful for 'No comment', thankful for learning, thankful for listening. Thankful for sharing this life with you."
Kutcher and his wife, fellow "That '70s Show" star Mila Kunis, came under fire in September over letters they submitted to a Los Angeles court prior to Masterson's sentencing.
Kutcher wrote that Masterson was an "excellent" role model and was a "dedicated and loyal" husband.
"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 wrote in her letter Masterson "prioritizes his family, education, and happiness above all else," and instilled in his daughter "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."
Kutcher and Kunis addressed the letters in a video posted to Kutcher's Instagram account on Sept. 9, a day after the letters went public.
In the video, Kutcher said he and his wife wrote the letters after Masterson's family asked them to characterize "the person that we knew for 25 years so that the judge could take that into full consideration relative to the sentencing," though the pair acknowledged they were "aware of the pain" the letters had caused.
"They were intended for the judge to read," Kutcher said. "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.
Kutcher later resigned from his role as board chair of Thorn, a nonprofit he co-founded in 2012 to combat child sexual exploitation.
Kutcher's decision to step down was "rooted in the recognition of recent events," the organization said in a statement on Sept. 15.
"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,” Kutcher said in a letter dated Sept. 14 and shared by Thorn.
"I cannot allow my error in judgment to distract from our efforts and the children we serve," he continued.
Kutcher also issued an apology "to all victims of sexual violence and everyone at Thorn who I hurt by what I did."
This article first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
