Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis have sparked a debate on nepo babies after their comments about leaving their children without inheritance resurfaced.
Despite Kutcher being worth USD $200 million (AUD $300 m), the actor revealed in 2018 on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast that he would not leave a cent to his children, Isabelle and Dimitri.
He revealed the couple would instead donate that money to charity.
“We’ll end up giving our money away to charity and to various things,” he said.
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Kutcher added: "If my kids want to start a business, and they have a good business plan, I'll invest in it. But they're not getting trusts.”
While his remarks were made five years ago, thanks to the popular Twitter account Pop Tingz, his comments are going viral (again).
And it’s safe to say it’s left many divided.
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One user said: “There was a time when families sought to build dynasties, one generation building on the accomplishments of the last.
“Now everyone is an atomic unit, valuable only in so far as it serves the consumerist machine. And your children? Do not spoil them lest they become worse workers.”
Another shared: “Instead, they will leave their fortune to spoiled and entitled CEOs of nonprofits.”
While a third commented: “Oh great, now actors are getting in on the ‘charity’ tax dodge that has long been the province of billionaires and politicians. Lol.”
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In a 2017 interview with Elle UK, Kunis also opened up about raising her children and how she doesn’t want them to become spoiled despite their affluent upbringing.
The Bad Moms actor said her main priority is to ensure they don’t evolve into ‘a**holes’.
“Yeah, we're not gonna raise a**holes. There's enough a**holes in this world! We don't need to contribute. But, you know, there's some nice people,” she told the outlet.
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As a result, Kutcher and Kunis don’t even gift their children presents at Christmas time.
“We're instituting [no presents] this year because when the kids are [younger than] one, it doesn't really matter. Last year when we celebrated Christmas, Wyatt was two, and it was too much. We didn't give her anything — it was the grandparents,” she said.
She even told her parents they had to limit presents to one gift.
“‘We're begging you — if you have to give her something, pick one gift. Otherwise, we'd like to take a charitable donation to the Children's Hospital or a pet [or] whatever you want,'” Kunis said.
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The debate about nepo babies was sparked last year thanks to an article in The New Yorker, which pointed out all the emerging stars in Hollywood and the music industry who happen to have famous parents.
Many questioned whether they would have the platform they do without the A-lister mom or dad, however others suggested they still have to work hard to maintain their career once they get their foot in the door.
Topics: News, Money, Ashton Kutcher, Parenting, Celebrity
Charisa Bossinakis