Ashton Kutcher Sets the Record Straight on Viral Bathing Comments While Promoting FX’s The Beauty

Years after a lighthearted podcast conversation sparked internet rumors about his hygiene, Ashton Kutcher is finally clearing things up.

While speaking to PEOPLE about preparing for his new role on FX’s body-horror thriller The Beauty, Kutcher addressed the viral backlash that followed a 2021 appearance on Armchair Expert with his wife, Mila Kunis.

At the time, Kunis joked that she didn’t grow up showering often, while Kutcher quipped that he washed only his “armpits and crotch.” The comments quickly snowballed online, with many assuming the couple avoided bathing altogether.

“It was the craziest thing,” Kutcher said. “People were like, ‘Does he stink?’ I’m like, ‘I shower. I go to the gym. I shower.’”

Standing beside him during the interview, The Beauty co-stars Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope backed him up. Laughing, Ramos added, “I can confirm my boy showers.”

Speedo-Ready for a Villainous Role

Kutcher also opened up about the intense physical preparation required for the series, in which his character is frequently seen shirtless and wearing revealing swimwear.

After years behind a desk working in venture capital, Kutcher admitted he needed a serious reset. He hired trainer Robbie Egan, who showed up at his house at 5 a.m. to put him through punishing workouts.

“I got in shape,” Kutcher said. He also cut out alcohol ahead of filming, noting that he started shooting after completing his annual “Dry January.” “I went into Speedo mode,” he joked.

A Dark Turn Under Ryan Murphy

The Beauty marks a major tonal shift for Kutcher, who recently appeared in lighter projects like Your Place or Mine and That ’90s Show. In the FX series, he plays a powerful tech billionaire known as The Corporation — a shadowy figure who creates a miracle drug that makes users younger and more beautiful, at any cost.

The show comes from prolific creator Ryan Murphy, whom Kutcher praised as “one of the greatest writers on the planet.”

“Ryan came to me and said, ‘I wrote this role for you,’” Kutcher recalled. “That alone is humbling. Then you get to inhabit it, and it becomes the most fun I’ve ever had playing a character.”

Premiere Details

FX’s The Beauty premieres Wednesday, Jan. 21, with three episodes airing at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The series will also stream on Hulu and Disney+.

As for the long-running shower debate? Kutcher seems happy to put it to rest — cleanly.