Ashton Kutcher Never Wanted to Reveal His Vasculitis Diagnosis
Ashton Kutcher has been famous for... well, what seems like forever. Throughout his Hollywood tenure, the actor has been open about his personal life, but one thing he rarely speaks about is his health. In an exclusive interview with Esquire, for our first digital cover, the 44-year-old actor opened up about a harrowing medical scare that was revealed on national television—allegedly without his permission.
It all started in 2019, when Kutcher woke up with a terrible migraine. The pain lasted two weeks before his wife, and former That '70s Show costar, Mila Kunis, suggested he see a doctor. “Something’s not right,” he recalled her saying. At first, Kutcher was unable to get a diagnosis, and in the time spent waiting, he struggled to hear and see. At one point he even developed vertigo. Eventually, Kutcher was diagnosed with vasculitis. The disease is a rare autoimmune disorder that attacks the blood vessels, which can cause a host of problems. After nearly a year of treatment, rest, and physical training, Kutcher was back in good health, but he planned on keeping that story to himself.
With his health restored, the actor wanted to enjoy his life again. In his conversation with Esquire, Kutcher revealed that he went skiing, climbed a mountain, visited Antarctica, and ran a marathon. “It was about testing my mettle,” he said. Then, Kutcher upped the ante and agreed to star in an adventure series with Bear Grylls. While filming Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge, Kutcher revealed his diagnosis. He believed his conversation with Grylls was private and off the record—requested it not be used in the show—but the anecdote aired anyway. Esquire requested a comment from Grylls via a spokesperson for National Geographic, but did not receive a response.
“At the end of the day, I have to look at it and be like, ‘All right, well, maybe it needed to come out,'” Kutcher said, reflecting on the situation. “Maybe somebody will see this and go, ‘Oh this is helpful for me in some way knowing this'... hopefully that helps.” The episode dropped in August 2022, and news of his diagnosis quickly spread online.
Though the public was supportive, Kutcher did not want to feel pitied. Many people asked if he was okay, but deep down, the actor revealed he wanted to “pass” on the question. “I ran a fucking marathon,” he said, thinking of how he’d rather respond. “Are you okay? Everybody goes through shit.”
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