Hollywood Isn’t to Blame for Beauty Standards, Ashton Kutcher Says
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The actor argues societal pressures, not the entertainment industry, fuel the pursuit of perfection.
- Ashton Kutcher, currently starring in the sci-fi series “The Beauty,” believes society, not Hollywood, drives unrealistic beauty expectations.
- The show explores a world where a drug can transform individuals into their “most attractive” selves, with potentially dangerous consequences.
- Kutcher points to the constant presence of cameras and social media as key factors in the increasing desire for aesthetic perfection.
- Recent UK figures show a 5% rise in cosmetic procedures in 2024, with over 10,000 non-surgical treatments performed.
Ashton Kutcher contends that the entertainment industry isn’t solely responsible for the escalating pressure to achieve flawless appearances. The 47-year-old actor, known for roles in “That ‘70s Show” and “Punk’d,” suggests that broader societal forces are the primary drivers behind this phenomenon.
Kutcher is currently starring in the science fiction show “The Beauty,” which centers around a drug capable of transforming individuals into their most aesthetically pleasing selves. Speaking to BBC News, he asserted that he doesn’t believe the film and television industry is “imparting the need for aesthetic homogeny.”
“Entertainment is a reflection of society,” Kutcher explained. He noted that while some characters and actors are “traditionally handsome,” others are simply “really interesting,” adding, “It doesn’t make them not beautiful, it just makes them break a mould.”
The Rise of ‘Perfection’ in the Digital Age
Instead, Kutcher believes the real catalyst for this pursuit of perfection is “everyone being on camera all the time.” This constant self-scrutiny, amplified by social media, creates a relentless pressure to conform to idealized standards.
Kutcher’s character in “The Beauty” is a tech billionaire responsible for developing the transformative injection, which he himself uses in an attempt to recapture his youth. However, the drug carries severe side effects, including sexual transmission and internal combustion.
The actor recently acknowledged parallels between “The Beauty” and the 2024 Oscar-nominated film “The Substance,” starring his ex-wife, Demi Moore. He praised Moore’s performance, stating, “She killed it. I’m so proud of her.”
Adapted from a comic book by Ryan Murphy, creator of “American Horror Story,” “The Beauty” tackles contemporary issues, including the growing use of weight-loss drugs. Singer Meghan Trainor makes a cameo appearance, referencing her own publicly discussed weight loss journey using Mounjaro, a medication also used to treat diabetes.
Kutcher revealed that conversations with Murphy during filming frequently revolved around Mounjaro and Ozempic, discussing “people clamouring to get them and paying in order to get them and not necessarily because they had diabetes or hypertension” and the potential societal ramifications.
Married to actress Mila Kunis since 2015, Kutcher also observed that “cosmetic enhancement is becoming socially accepted day by day.” Recent statistics from the UK support this claim, showing 27,462 cosmetic procedures were performed in 2024 – a 5% increase from the previous year. Over 10,000 non-surgical procedures, such as fillers and Botox, were also administered by members of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) during the same period.
“It used to be that if you got Botox, you would not tell anybody you got them but now people are like ‘let’s get a coffee and Botox,’” Kutcher reflected. He believes beauty is intrinsically linked to “security, success and power,” particularly in the age of social media influencers who can amass wealth and influence through their online presence.
Jeremy Pope, Kutcher’s co-star in “The Beauty,” known for his role in the drama “Pose,” added that the show “asks the audience how much would you give or sacrifice to experience ultimate beauty or success.” He described it as “just a comment in where we are in the centre of our culture right now.”
Critics have drawn comparisons between the series and classic literature. Anita Singh of the Telegraph, in a four-star review, noted that “The Beauty satirises our world of Instagram perfection, tweakments and weight-loss jabs. It is a work of sci-fi, but only in the fine detail.”
Rebecca Hall, also starring in the series, likened the show’s themes to Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” a story she previously explored in a film adaptation. “This show is bringing up the conversation that if you keep chasing some version of beauty that’s outside of yourself, you may never be satisfied and you might end up going crazy,” she said.
Hall’s character, an FBI agent investigating a series of mysterious deaths among beautiful people, grapples with her own insecurities. The actress concluded that the current societal trend is “madness” because “then we’ll all end up looking exactly the same and then we will immediately pivot to finding something else beautiful,” adding that “what’s weird” is that “if you have enough money you can make yourself look pretty much like anything you want.”
