Photos of Reese and Ashton Were Called “Awkward” Online, but the Reason Behind This Is Kutcher’s Disease
Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon have unexpectedly become a meme. Photos of the actors taken at the premiere of their new film, Your Place or Mine, have taken the Internet by storm. The online discussion got to the point where Reese and Ashton were suspected of secretly hating each other. But the “awkward” pictures have a very real reason behind them. For over two years now, Kutcher has been battling an incurable disease.
The cause of it all — an autoimmune disease
The world premiere of the new Netflix film has sparked heated discussions online. In the photos, lead actors Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher look lost and distant. Kutcher got the most attention from online users. It seemed to the commentators that he couldn’t figure out which camera he should be looking at. And they turned out to be close to the truth.
Over two years ago, Ashton was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Vasculitis has affected the celebrity’s hearing: “I can’t hear very well. I’m hard of hearing in one ear, and I can only hear in the other. I don’t know who’s yelling my name, but I know there’s a lot of people yelling, going, ‘Reese, Ashton, over here, over here! Look at this one, look at that one!’”
Vasculitis is a rare condition that causes inflammation of the blood vessels. This can result in restricted blood flow and can lead to organ and tissue damage; moreover, if severe, it can affect the patient’s mobility.
In Kutcher’s case, it affected his vision, hearing, and balance. Luckily, Ashton was able to get the disease under control. Today, he can walk independently, and his vision and hearing have been restored, yet not completely. The actor considers it a victory: “I’m lucky to be alive.”
Ashton was behaving like a gentleman.
In the photos, Ashton doesn’t stand too close to Reese. He seems to have learned to keep this “gentlemanly distance” from Keanu Reeves. Kutcher, following the “respectful king’s” example, respects other people’s personal space and tries not to touch them unnecessarily.
The actor himself admitted that he just wanted to avoid gossip: “If I put my arm around her and was like, all friendly with her, [...] the rumor would be that I’m having an affair with her.” As a result, Ashton would often keep his hands in his pockets to avoid inadvertently touching Reese. Even the star’s wife, Mila Kunis, noted the awkwardness between the colleagues at the film premiere and advised her husband and his on-screen partner to act like they like each other.
It seems the actor listened to his beloved wife’s advice, as Reese and Ashton look much more relaxed in the later photos. The celebrities no longer keep their distance and they even hug each other. It’s worth mentioning that in real life, Kutcher and Witherspoon have a warm relationship: “Reese and I are really good friends. We’re really close.” No doubt about it, Ashton. We believe you.