Ashton Kutcher is speaking out about the legal battles swirling around Danny Masterson, who is headed for a second trial in connection with allegations of sexual assault involving three women at his home in the Hollywood Hills between 2001 and 2003.
The 44-year-old actor, speaking with Esquire on Tuesday, said that he hopes Masterson ‘to be found innocent of the charges brought against him,’ with the publication noting that that is not ‘the same as Kutcher wanting his friend to get off the hook.’
Kutcher, who costarred with Masterson on That ’70s Show and The Ranch, said that with his limited perspective, he does not have ‘a space to comment’ on the situation.
The latest:Â Ashton Kutcher, 44, is speaking out about the legal battles swirling around Danny Masterson, 46, his costar on That ’70s Show and The Ranch, who is headed for a second trial in connection with allegations of sexual assault
‘Ultimately, I can’t know,’ the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native told the publication. ‘I’m not the judge. I’m not the jury. I’m not the DA. I’m not the victim. And I’m not the accused. And so, in that case, I don’t have – I just don’t know.’
The Two and a Half Men actor keeps in touch with Masterson and his brother, the outlet reported, and said that he made his comments taking into account that Masterson’s eight-year-old daughter Fianna Francis Masterson (with wife Bijou Phillips, 42) would eventually learn about the ongoing legal battle involving her father.
‘Someday, his kid is going to read about this,’ Kutcher said, adding that he considers himself an advocate for victims.
‘I wholesale feel for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way,’ said Kutcher, who founded the anti-online sex abuse nonprofit Thorn more than 10 years ago.
Kutcher said that he hopes Masterson ‘to be found innocent of the charges brought against him,’ with the publication noting that that is not ‘the same as Kutcher wanting his friend to get off the hook’
Masterson and wife Bijou Phillips were pictured leaving court in LA last NovemberÂ
Masterson was first accused of sexual assault by four women in March of 2017, and denied the allegations.
In June of 2020, Masterson was charged with the alleged sexual assaults of three women, to which he entered a not guilty plea in January 2021.
A first trial that began in October of 2022 was declared a mistrial in November after jurors could not reach a unanimous decision.
At the time the initial allegations were made in 2017, Masterson was appearing on the Netflix series The Ranch with Kutcher, and was subsequently written out of the show in December 2017.
Kutcher, who founded the anti-online sex abuse nonprofit Thorn more than 10 years ago, says he feels ‘for anybody who feels like they were violated in any way’
Masterson was first accused of sexual assault by four women in March of 2017, and denied the allegations; in June of 2020, Masterson was charged with the alleged sexual assaults of three women, Pictured in 2017 in LAÂ
‘I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision to write my character off of The Ranch,’ Masterson told Us Weekly in a statement. ‘From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit.’
Masterson has also not been involved with the That ’70s Show reboot That ’90s Show to reprise his role as Steven Hyde. The Netflix reboot has featured original series cast members Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Wilmer Valderrama, Laura Prepon and Topher Grace.
In his chat with Esquire Tuesday, Kutcher said that Masterson was the leader of the cast of the series, which originally aired on Fox.
‘He’s like, “One f***ing rule: Don’t do anything f***ing stupid and f*** this up. Because if you f*** it up, you f*** it up for everybody.”‘