Ashton Kutcher made millions investing, doesn’t need a Hollywood check

Ashton Kutcher is making a comeback of sorts, reprising his starring role as Michael Kelso on “That ’90s Show.”

But the 44-year-old skipped the Netflix show because he needed a paycheck. In fact, Kutcher said in a recent profile in Esquire that he would never need to play a role for the money again.

Indeed, over the past 13 years, Kutcher has quietly embarked on a successful tech investing career through his A-Grade Investments fund, which he founded in 2010 with entertainment executive Guy Oseary and billionaire Ron Burkle.

Investments in companies like Uber, Airbnb, Spotify and Warby Parker have paid off and entirely eliminated the pressure of having to appear in movies and shows just for the paycheck.

“Now I can just worry about playing the roles I want to play,” the ‘Jobs’ star said.

Indeed, his success in the venture capital world has allowed him to make decisions in his Hollywood career that directly improve his quality of life.

He told the magazine that his upcoming romantic comedy “Your Place or Mine” was originally scheduled to shoot in Georgia due to state production tax credits. However, this would have taken him away from his children during the school year.

“I have young children and I love my children very much,” he said. “I like spending time with them.”

As a solution, Kutcher negotiated with Netflix to move production to Los Angeles, near his home in Beverly Hills, with the additional budget costs taken directly from his salary.

This financial sacrifice allowed him to be with his family every night and to attend his children’s events at school, and he told Esquire it was worth it.

Now, Kutcher’s financial security allows him to be selective about which jobs he takes and which ones he turns down.

“I want to tell stories that say something,” he said. “I want to tell stories that bring people joy. And I want to deliver stories that make people think. And I want to play characters that are fun to play. And I’m willing to work hard to do that. .”

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