Inside Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' Hollywood Comeback After Couple Was Ridiculed for Backing Pal Danny Masterson

Ashton Kutcher recently returned to the Golden Globes red carpet with his arm around Mila Kunis in a carefully staged show of unity – in a signal, insiders tell OK!, that Hollywood's once untouchable power couple are ready to reclaim their place after years away from the spotlight.

Kutcher, 48, and Kunis, 42, had not attended a major awards ceremony for four years at the time, following intense backlash over their support for former costar Danny Masterson, 49, who is serving 30 years to life for rape, and renewed scrutiny over Kutcher's long friendship with Sean "Diddy" Combs, 56, who is currently jailed after being convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution.

The couple first met on the set of That '70s Show in 1998 – when Kunis was 14 and Kutcher was 19 – and married in 2015, going on to share two children, Wyatt, 10, and Dimitri, 8.

Now, with Kutcher starring in Ryan Murphy's forthcoming series The Beauty alongside Evan Peters and Rebecca Hall, their reappearance appears anything but accidental.

A friend close to the couple said: "Walking that Golden Globes carpet was symbolic. It wasn't just another awards show appearance – it was a very deliberate statement that they're ready to step back into the spotlight and be counted again. They know they mishandled things in the past and there's genuine regret there. The fallout knocked them from being Hollywood's most bankable, widely liked pair to people who felt shut out of the industry almost overnight. That shift has been humbling and, at times, painful."

The source continued: "They've had to sit with the embarrassment and accept that public perception changed dramatically."

"For a long time they felt frozen out socially and professionally. Showing up together now is their way of saying they've taken stock, they've learned lessons, and they're not going to hide anymore," the insider added.

Kutcher's acting career stalled after his 2021 rom-com Your Place or Mine. According to the same source, Murphy's offer represented a turning point.

An insider said: "Ashton genuinely felt as though someone had thrown him a rescue line when Ryan Murphy came calling. After a period where the phone wasn't ringing the way it used to, landing that role meant more to him than just another credit – it felt like validation that he still has a place in the film and TV industry. He's now incredibly focused on proving himself again. There's a real sense of wanting to draw a line under the speculation and the headlines that have followed him, and to let the work speak instead. In his mind, this project is the first meaningful step toward repairing his reputation. If audiences respond well and the show takes off, he believes it could accelerate everything – putting him back in contention far quicker than many people expect."

The reputational damage against him dates back to letters Kutcher and Kunis wrote in support of Masterson, their former costar.

Kutcher told the Los Angeles trial judge Masterson was a man who treated people "with decency, equality, and generosity," adding he was "an exceptional older brother figure."

After public outrage, the pair released a video apology, insisting they did not intend to undermine victims' testimony or retraumatize them, and Kutcher stepped down as chair of his anti-child s-- abuse organization.

Old interviews have also resurfaced. Speaking in 2002 on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Kunis said of her first onscreen kiss with Kutcher: "I've never kissed a guy. I was a 14-year-old little girl, and I was extremely scared for my life. He was very nice about it, like, 'Don't worry about it.'"

Kutcher later joked: "They were like, 'You guys are going to be making out in this scene.' And I'm thinking, 'Wait, this is slightly illegal.'"

He also recalled: "Danny bet me like 20 bucks I wouldn't do it."

Kunis added: "I didn't let him, but I think he tried."

Further criticism followed remarks Kutcher made at 25 about Hilary Duff, and his long association with Combs.

"I've got a lot I can't tell…Diddy party stories, man. That was like, some weird memory lane," Kutcher once said.

Our source explained: "Every time Ashton tries to move forward, something from years ago seems to resurface and dominate the conversation again. Old interviews, past friendships, throwaway comments – they all get picked apart, and it's made rebuilding his public image incredibly difficult. There's been a cloud of speculation hanging over him for a long time now, and that has taken a toll professionally and personally. He understands that trust isn't restored overnight, and he knows some people may never change their view. But he hopes that with distance and perspective, others might see that he was navigating complicated friendships without full knowledge of what was happening behind closed doors."

"Yes, he was close to certain people, but he insists he wasn't privy to the alleged wrongdoing that later came to light. From his perspective, he feels misled – as shocked as anyone when the details emerged. That doesn't erase the criticism, but he believes context matters. He's spent a lot of time reflecting on how those associations look in hindsight and how they've affected his reputation. More than anything, he wants the chance to be judged on who he is now, not just on the worst interpretations of his past," they added.

Off-screen, Kutcher has focused on investing.

The insider said: "Ashton has always been strategic about his career, and he understands that relevance in Hollywood isn't just about landing roles – it's about staying connected to the spaces where influence and culture intersect. Getting involved in that acquisition was, in his mind, a smart long-term play. It keeps him plugged into the business side of entertainment and aligned with a brand that still carries prestige and visibility."