Ashton Kutcher is clearing the air on those viral photos with Reese Witherspoon.
Ashton and Reese are currently on a press tour for their new film, Your Place Or Mine. They recently became the talk of the internet when photos of the two of them from the premiere came out, with people commenting on how awkward they seemed.
In a new appearances on the Chicks in the Office podcast, Ashton spoke about why he finds red carpets challenging because of his illness. The actor, who is still dealing with the residual effects of his rare autoimmune disease, vasculitis, stated that as a result of his condition:
“I can’t hear very well, I’m hard of hearing in one ear and I can only hear in the other.”
He referenced the photos of him and Reese staying apart on the red carpet, saying:
“I don’t know who’s yelling my name but I know there’s a lot of people yelling, ‘Reese! Ashton! Over here! Look this way!’ And at a certain point you’re like, God this is really something. Look at the camera? Got it. Are we done? Awesome.”
Ashton further explained why he kept his distance from her co-star in those viral photos:
“My wife [Mila Kunis] called me. She texted me and Reese together. She’s like, ‘Guys, you gotta, like, act like you each other.’ And I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’
Here’s the thing: If I put my arm around her and was, like, all friendly with her, I’d be having an affair with her — the rumor would be that I’m having an affair with her. If I stand next to her, I put my hands in my pockets so there’s no chance that, like, that could be the rumor — the rumor is we don’t like each other.”
He shared what his relationship with Reese is really like:
“Reese and I are really good friends. We’re really close. I don’t have to defend that. I don’t have to defend it.”
He concluded with this:
“If you’re gonna tell me in that entire 20-minute period, at one point, you’re not going to have an awkward face, then you’re better than I am. And I’m cool with that.”
