Netflix’s latest cozy romcom hasn’t gone down fantastically well with critics.
Rolling Stone said the leads, Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon, have “zero” chemistry, while Rotten Tomatoes’ “Tomatometer“—which measures critics’ responses to a movie—came in at just 32%.
But for Kutcher there’s less on the line than there is for other celebrities when it comes to the success of a movie or TV show. He doesn’t need Oscar buzz to pay the bills, because he has a second, hugely successful career as a venture capitalist that gives him the freedom to only take on the roles he really wants.
Through his VC fund Sound Ventures, Kutcher has been an early backer of a slew of huge name brands: Airbnb, Uber, Robinhood, Bird and Affirm. According to reports from Forbes, the actor and his business partner, music manager Guy Oseary, have turned their $30 million fund into one worth $250 million. He’s so good at it that people are often “surprised” by his success, his friend and fellow investor Josh Kushner said last month.
“Some are surprised that Ashton is good at this, because he has another job that is completely different,” Kushner said. “The reason why he is an exceptional investor is no different than why other people are. He is deeply creative and an extraordinary product thinker.”
In a profile by Esquire, the father-of-two, who is married to his “That ’70s Show” co-star Mila Kunis, explained his mantra is “invest in enduring happiness”. He added that as a result he chooses “stories that deliver people joy… And I want to play characters that are fun to play. I’m willing to work my ass off to do that.”
The seasoned tech investor—who according to Crunchbase has already had 21 exits with companies like Zaarly and Your Mechanic—also openly spoke out against Big Tech. He said online giants are ignoring the problem of explicit content under the guise of being “pro-privacy” and care far more about driving sales and gaining customers than anything else.
It’s because he cares about the issue that he co-founded tech company Thorn with his ex-wife Demi Moore. The business is home to an engineering and data team which works exclusively on developing new platforms to combat online child sexual abuse.
Family balance
Kutcher is so financially confident he even fronted extra production costs which allowed him to shoot in L.A. So he could be with his kids during the school year. Dad to Wyatt, eight, and Dmitri, six, Kutcher reasoned: “I like my kids a lot. I like spending time with them.”
The star knew production for his latest flick, “Your Place or Mine,” was due to shoot in Georgia as the state offers a tax break to Hollywood productions—but he didn’t want to miss out on school events or Cub Scouts activities. He took a hit to his own salary to shoot in L.A. In order to be close to family.
His co-star Witherspoon said: “He loves his family so deeply and really is such an incredible dad who shows up every day for his kids. There is no pretense. He is just very comfortable in his own skin.”
Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. Sign up here.