After actor Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison Thursday on two counts of rape, several of his co-stars from “That ’70s Show” wrote letters of support to the judge in the hope of affecting the sentencing.
Among the co-stars who wrote letters to the judge defending Masterson’s character were Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, according to NBC News. Masterson’s brother-in-law, actor William Baldwin, and actors Giovanni and Marissa Ribisi also wrote letters. (RELATED: Danny Masterson’s Wife Reportedly Standing By Him Amid Rape Conviction).
Masterson and the Ribisi siblings belong to the Church of Scientology, per the outlet.
Three women accused the now-convicted actor of raping them between 2001 and 2003 in his Hollywood Hills home, according to Vanity Fair.
Following the sentencing, one of Masterson’s lawyers said the fight was far from over. “The appellate lawyers are confident that these convictions will be overturned,” he said, per NBC. (RELATED: Judge Declares Mistrial In Danny Masterson Rape Trial).
Mila Kunis, 40, started off her letter to the judge saying, “I believe it is essential to share the remarkable influence Danny has had on my life and the lives of others.”
Kunis went on to share how one of the most “remarkable aspects” of Danny’s character was his “unwavering commitment to discouraging the use of drugs.” She highlighted his role as a husband and father, saying he has been “nothing short of extraordinary.”
“I wholeheartedly vouch for Danny Masterson’s exceptional character and the tremendous positive influence he has had on me and the people around him. His dedication to leading a drug-free life and the genuine care he extends to others makes him an outstanding role model and friend,” she concluded.
ashton and mila: yeah, our best friend’s a rapist but at least he never did DRUGS! pic.twitter.com/pxWqzbcYgS
— no context sitcoms ☮︎ (@oocsitcoms) September 8, 2023
Ashton Kutcher, 45, highlighted moments over the 25-year-long friendship between him and Masterson in his letter, attributing him to being the reason he didn’t fall into the “typical Hollywood life of drugs.”
Kutcher recounted a time when the two were at a pizza parlor and a “belligerent man entered who [was] berating his girlfriend.”
“We had never met or seen these people before, but Danny was the first person to jump to the defense of this girl,” he said, “It was an incident he didn’t have to get involved in but proactively chose to because the way this man was behaving was not right.”
Kutchner highlighted Masterson’s role as a father, stating, “We have spent countless hours together with our kids and he is among few people that I would trust to be alone with my son and daughter.”
“While I am 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 I hope that my testament to his character is taken into consideration in sentencing,” Kutchner concluded. “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.”