Mila Kunis Recalls Her Intense Reaction To That '70s Show Ending
Mila Kunis skyrocketed to fame at just 14 — even though she was technically supposed to be turning 18 very soon. At least that's what she said when she auditioned for "That '70s Show," whose producers required actors to be of age to try out (via Us Weekly). When producers found out Kunis was barely a teenager, they had already fallen in love with her portrayal of the sassy and spoiled Jackie Burkhart. Critics and fans of the Fox sitcom agreed, as evidenced by her numerous award nominations and wins for the show, per IMDb.
"That '70s Show" ran between 1998 and 2006, cementing Kunis' career for years to come. But portraying the same character on TV often makes the transition to film difficult, which appeared to be the case for Kunis early on. But she eventually broke through. After starring in a series of unsuccessful projects, including "American Psycho 2" and "Tony n' Tina's Wedding," Kunis' luck began to turn shortly after the show concluded.
She eventually received positive attention for her role in the Judd Apatow-produced "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" in 2008. "I give Judd Apatow so much love for hiring me and letting me do something different, letting me break free of 'That '70s Show,'" she told the Orlando Sentinel in 2009. Despite the double-edged sword the show was in her career, bidding goodbye to Jackie Burkhart was still heartbreaking for Mila Kunis.
Mila Kunis cried uncontrollably after filming the finale
Mila Kunis knew "That '70s Show" had run its course, but that didn't make closing that chapter any easier. "You get to a point where you're like, 'It's time,'" she said on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on May 24. "But on the day, I couldn't stop crying. I literally reverted to being a little kid and I just wanted someone to hold me." The May 2006 finale marked the end not only of the show but also of a time in her life that included a number of changes. "I went through puberty and high school and [kissing], like everything," said Kunis, who was 22 when "That '70s Show" ended.
Kunis also experienced her first kiss with Ashton Kutcher on the show, nearly 15 years before becoming an actual couple, per E! News. Playing boyfriend and girlfriend on TV was hard, especially because Kunis wasn't exactly experienced in the subject. In fact, her onscreen kiss was her first-ever, she told People in 2001. "I was like, 'I have to kiss him?' I was so nervous and uncomfortable. I had the biggest crush on him."
The kissing scenes weren't easy for Kutcher, either — but for different reasons. "I was 19 [at the time], she was like 14 ... It was really weird. I was like, 'Isn't this illegal? Like can I — am I allowed?" Kutcher said on "The Howard Stern Show" (via Elle).