Ashton Kutcher’s 2003 Hilary Duff Comment Sparks Fresh Backlash Over Sexualizing Teen Stars

A 2003 clip from Ashton Kutcher’s MTV prank show “Punk’d” is facing renewed criticism after viewers revisited comments he made about then-15-year-old actress Hilary Duff.

In the clip, Kutcher, who was 25 at the time, praised Duff’s growing career before saying, “She’s one of the girls that we’re all waiting for to turn 18,” adding that the Olsen twins were also on the list. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were 17 at the time.

The clip has sparked debate online, with many viewers criticizing how openly teenage celebrities were sexualized in popular culture during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Some commenters noted that such remarks were often treated as ordinary jokes at the time.

Others defended the comment as part of Kutcher’s deliberately provocative comedic persona on “Punk’d,” arguing that it should be understood in the context of early-2000s entertainment.

The renewed discussion also comes amid broader scrutiny of Kutcher following his and Mila Kunis’ controversial character letters for former “That ’70s Show” co-star Danny Masterson, who was convicted of rape. The couple later apologized for writing the letters.

The resurfaced clip, however, stands independently as a record of what was said on the show. More than two decades later, the reaction highlights how attitudes toward the sexualization of underage celebrities have changed—and prompts renewed questions about why such comments were once considered acceptable entertainment.