How Mila Kunis Is 'Leading by Example' as an Actress, Mom, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur

Helping Her Native Country

Throughout 2022, Ukrainian-born actress Mila Kunis took the initiative to raise money and awareness for the ongoing war waging in her home country. In March, Kunis and her husband, fellow That 70's Show alumnus Ashton Kutcher, donated $3 million in support of refugees fleeing from escalating conflict following Russia's invasion. In an Instagram video posted to Kutcher's account, the couple encouraged their fans to take action as well.

"The events that have unfolded in Ukraine are devastating. There is no place in this world for this kind of unjust attack on humanity," Kunis said in the video. The couple also pointed followers to a GoFundMe page that set a total fundraising goal of $30 million, which they surpassed in just two weeks.

At the Academy Awards, Kunis took the stage to address the crisis in Ukraine. She highlighted the "strength and dignity of those facing such devastation" in her native country. "One cannot help but be in awe of those who find strength to keep fighting through unimaginable darkness," she said.

Staying Firm in Her Beliefs

Following Will Smith's outburst at the Oscars, the Luckiest Girl Alive star remained firm in her belief that his actions were out of line. Speaking to C Magazine in October 2022, Kunis reflected on her reasons for staying seated when Smith won the award for Best Actor, while the majority of the audience gave him a standing ovation.

"The idea of leading by example only makes sense when you actually have someone to lead. We have our tiny little tribe here at home, and never once do I want to tell them to do something if I'm not willing to do it myself," said Kunis, who shares her daughter Wyatt, 8, and son Dimitri, 5, with Kutcher. She added that not standing up was, to her, "a no-brainer."

Drinking for a Cause

At the head of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kunis and Kutcher delivered a product perfectly suited for the mood of April 2020. The couple teamed up with Nocking Point Wines and Battle Creek Vineyards to produce a Pinot Noir called Quarantine Wine to aid in COVID relief efforts.

The A-list husband-wife duo announced their project on Twitter, where they posted a video explaining that 100 percent of the proceeds gathered by the aptly titled beverage would be donated to a number of different charities chosen by the duo.

Making a Cheeky Donation

In November 2017, Kunis addressed her political views on Conan O'Brien's late-night show, and the charitably minded way she lets her actions speak louder than words.

"I disagreed with some of the stuff that [Mike] Pence was doing and was trying to do, so as a reminder that there are women out there in the world that may or may not agree with his platform, I put him on a list of recurring donations that are made in his name to Planned Parenthood," said Kunis of the then-vice president, clarifying that her actions were less of a prank and more of a "peaceful protest."

The actress noted that she always intended to donate to the women's health organization, but she found humor in the political attribution of her funds. "Every month, to his office, he gets a little letter that says, ''An anonymous donation has been made in your name,' " she explained.

Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone

When it comes to making the world a better place, there's nothing Kunis won't try. In conversation with C Magazine for an October 2022 profile, the Family Guy star detailed the farm she and Kutcher installed in their Beverly Hills home. She admitted that the idea of a fully sustainable home felt intimidating at first.

"My husband's from the Midwest, and a lot of this has to do with his upbringing," she said, noting it was Kutcher's idea first. "He's like, we're building a farm and we're all going to work on the farm. I'm from L.A., and I was like, we are? This has been a big learning curve for all of us."

But the Kunis-Kutcher family (the KuKus, as they've been known to call themselves) prevailed. "Whether it's learning something new, doing something a little bit scary — all of that makes you stronger," said the mom of two.

Breaking Into Big Tech

In 2021, Kunis leapt into the male-dominated industry of cryptocurrency, creating her own non-fungible token-based animated series with her all-female crypto team, the 3050 Gang. Kunis' production company Orchard Farms Productions put out the show Stoner Cats, featuring the voices of Jane Fonda, Chris Rock, Seth MacFarlane and Kutcher. Viewers could gain access to the episodes through the purchase of NFTs.

Though the world of crypto and NFTs has been more populated by men, Kunis has already seen the beginnings of a shared tech sphere with her kids' education.

"I think things are already changing," she said in July 2021. "I can see it with my daughter and the access she has to clubs and camps along with STEM being taught in schools. Not to say that I couldn't have been an engineer, but it wasn't pushed upon me. I wasn't told science was cool. There's no world that my daughter doesn't think is an even playing ground."

Raising Her Kids Right

The Bad Moms star and her husband have come a long way from their humble upbringings, both being "very much self-made" and "very aware of what a dollar is worth," as she said on Australian podcast The Kyle and Jackie O Show in 2016. That's why it was crucial for Kunis and Kutcher to raise their kids to appreciate what they have.

"It's a matter of teaching them from a very early age that, you know, 'Mommy and Daddy may have a dollar, but you're poor,' " she joked. " 'You are very poor, you have nothing. Mommy and Daddy have a bank account.' "

Prioritizing Parenting

In 2016, Kunis opened up to Vanity Fair about the breastfeeding shame she faced while nursing her daughter Wyatt. The actress was firm in asserting her right to tend to her baby no matter the setting.

"There were many times where I didn't bring a cover with me, and so I just did it in a restaurant, in the subway, in the park, at airports and in planes," Kunis explained in the interview, during which she was expecting her second child. "Why did I do it in public? Because I had to feed my child. She's hungry."

She noted that it was surprising to receive pointed looks for her parenting choices, but it hardly deterred her from doing what she needed to do. "That's what I chose to do, but I think it's unfortunate that people are so hard on women who choose to do it and do it in public," she said.