Why We Never Hear About Ashton Kutcher's Twin
Since Ashton Kutcher's career began in 1998 with That 70's Show, we've learned a lot about his personal life. We all watched as he married and subsequently divorced Demi Moore. We know Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart — uh, we mean... Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis — got together (finally!) and started a family of their own. And you've probably heard about his heroic endeavors fighting human trafficking. However, there's one fact about Kutcher that he's managed to keep on the low all these years: he's a twin! Here are a few reasons why we never hear about Ashton Kutcher's twin, Michael.
He almost died — twice
Scary, but true. In fact, Kutcher's parents weren't even aware that Ashton had a sibling in the womb, according to Michael Kutcher's website. "The doctor told my parents, 'You might want to name and baptize him. He may not survive,'" Michael has said. Eventually, the family found out that Michael had a movement disorder. "I have limited mobility in my right arm and my right hand. I have a very mild case of cerebral palsy," Michael told The Hill. "I wear glasses; I wear a hearing aid; I have slurred speech." Then, when Michael was a teenager, his heart stopped. According to Digital Spy, Michael was so close to death that Ashton considering suicide so Michael could have his heart. Luckily, doctors found a donor heart first.
He's an advocate for those with cerebral palsy
Michael hasn't let his struggle with cerebral palsy slow him down, and he credits much of his motivation to Ashton, who reportedly told Michael at a young age not to use his "disability as a crutch." And it looks like Michael's made his twin proud — according to Michael's website, he currently works closely with Reaching for the Stars, A Foundation of Hope for Children with Cerebral Palsy. He also lobbied Congress in 2010 in hopes of bringing more attention to and finding funding for a cerebral palsy cure. Michael's not the only brother to learn a lesson, though. Ashton once revealed to ABC News that his brother has changed his life for the better. "People aren't actually all created equal," Ashton said, "but we all have the equal capacity to love one another, and my brother taught me that."
He spent time as a single father
We imagine it's pretty hard to court the limelight when you're busy raising a son on your own. "My real job is being a single father," Michael told Dickinson County News in 2015. "There are some days that is my biggest challenge. But this is my game-winning shot, to be with him." According to People, Michael remarried in 2016.
He's not very active on social media
It's a lot easier to keep up with Ashton, who has millions of Internet followers between his Instagram, Twitter, and website, and who updates us constantly. The lesser-known Michael, on the other hand, has a much smaller following and doesn't post often. His Twitter and Instagram pages are relatively quiet in a world fueled by social media, and when he does post it's usually not about his personal life.
He's into politics
While Ashton left for Hollywood and never looked back, Michael gravitated more toward politics. "I'm a big guy into politics," Michael told The Hill in 2010. "I like to keep up on politics and especially foreign affairs." Most recently, Michael shared his distaste for Ivanka Trump's role in her father's presidency. "I thought Ivanka was stepping aside on White House affairs to run her business," he tweeted. "Did I miss something?" After lobbying Congress in 2010, Michael told The Hill that he'd definitely be interested in pursuing a career in politics. "If the opportunity arose, I would definitely look into it," he said.
He has a sales job
At this point, it's pretty hard to not know who Ashton Kutcher is. Between his roles on TV and in theaters (and of course, his Hollywood royal marriage to Kunis), he's regularly in the news. However, his twin Michael followed a much more low key career path in sales. "I work for one of the leading pension providers, Transamerica Retirement Services," he told The Hill. "I'm actually in a transition role right now — I'm a part of the internal sales division, but currently transferring to a management position. We sell 401(k) plans to small and mid-size markets."
He's stayed in Iowa his whole life
The Kutcher family is based out of Iowa. And though Ashton left for New York at an early age, Michael stayed behind to go to school and start his own career. "I live in Cedar Rapids, born and raised. I went to Mount Mercy University here." he told The Hill. "It's a nice, humble place to live." According to Dickinson County News, Michael and his son moved to Denver in 2015 — and if his Instagram is any indicator, he's enjoying all of the beautiful scenery Colorado has to offer!