Ashton Kutcher reveals he’s missed out on roles because of ‘the way I look’
Ashton Kutcher wants to act with no strings attached.
But the 47-year-old has missed out on projects due to his looks.
Kutcher dove into his experience in Hollywood during a panel at New York Comic Con for his upcoming FX television show “The Beauty.”
The October 11 panel was moderated by the series creator Ryan Murphy. Also on stage were Evan Peters, Jeremy Pope, Rebecca Hall and Anthony Ramos.
Murphy, 59, first asked Kutcher to share his experience playing a “hilarious supervillain” in the show.
“I think every role you get, part of it is what you look like, right? It’s a very big part of what you’re imbuing as the character,” the Netflix alum mused. “And so, there are roles that I’ve gotten because of the way I look and there are roles that I haven’t gotten because of the way I look.”
Which doesn’t always sit right with Kutcher.
“Sometimes it’s frustrating,” he added, noting that his polished looks have caused him to be passed over for “down on your luck” characters.
However, working as a producer has made Kutcher better understand casting decisions.
“You’re trying to tell a story with pictures, and the pictures need to create a feeling for the audience,” the entrepreneur shared.
Starring in “The Beauty” also gave Kutcher a chance to try something new.
“Without giving away too much, almost every one of us has an incredibly nuanced role where, in some way, shape or form, we’re playing something that we are or we aren’t at any given time. It creates this underlying ability to embody insecurities that you may have, that you hide away and you push down, and you don’t let anyone in the world see it.”
Shedding light onto his character, Kutcher said, “I think he’s a good guy. I mean, you have to learn early that you can’t ever judge your character, because you have people who are doing things no matter how unfair it is. They think they’re doing the right thing.”
“This character looks at it and he goes, ‘Wait, there’s a lot of judgment around cosmetic aesthetic improvement in the world. A lot of people judge it.’ And gradually over time, people are judging it less,” he elaborated.
The “Jobs” alum also took a moment to praise Murphy for writing such a unique role.
“So often today, you only get to play your lane and nothing else, because playing anything else goes against the values that society has projected upon what people should play and shouldn’t play,” he detailed.
In the FX series “we get to play these complicated, nuanced characters,” Kutcher said. “It’s a delight. Playing this character is one of the great delights of my career.”
“The Beauty,” created by Murphy and Matthew Hodgson, is based on the comic book series by the same name.
Per the synopsis, the show follows “partners Drew Foster and Kara Vaughn” as they “investigate the Beauty STD causing aesthetic effects but proving lethal, evading corrupt officials and a mercenary.”
The show will debut on Hulu in 2026, with Kutcher also serving as an executive producer.
The actor has had a wide range of roles over the years, including playing the beloved Michael Kelso on “That ‘70s Show” for eight seasons from 1998 to 2006.
Kutcher also joined “Two and a Half Men” as Walden Schmidt in 2011 until 2015.
He also starred in the eight-season sitcom “The Ranch” alongside Danny Masterson, Sam Elliot and Elisha Cuthbert. The show ran from 2016 to 2020.
Along with hosting the reality television series “Punk’d,” Kutcher has lead a slew of rom-coms, including “New Years Eve,” “Your Place of Mine,” “Just Married,” “A Lot like Love,” “What Happens in Vegas” and “No Strings Attached.”
On the personal front, Kutcher tied the knot with his “That ’70s Show” co-star Mila Kunis in 2015, two years after splitting from ex-wife Demi Moore.
Kutcher and Kunis, 42, share daughter Wyatt Isabelle, 11, and son Dimitri Portwood, 8.
For the Hollywood vet, one part in particular will always be his favorite.
Kutcher told People in 2023: “For me, the No. 1 role I will ever play is father. It’s the most important role in my life.”
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
