Ashton Kutcher is making a comeback as Michael Kelso, reprising his star-making role on “That 90s Show.”
But the 44-year-old didn’t take the Netflix show because he needed to be paid. In fact, Kutcher said in a recent profile in Esquire that he does not need to take a role for money again.
That’s because over the past 13 years, Kutcher has quietly launched a successful technology investment career through A-Grade Investments, a fund he founded in 2010 with entertainment executive Guy O’Seary and billionaire Ron Burkle.
Investments in companies like Uber, Airbnb, Spotify and Warby Parker have paid off and completely eliminated the need to appear in movies and shows just for a paycheck.
“Now I can just worry about playing the role I want to play,” the “Jobs” star said.
Indeed, his success in the venture capital world has allowed him to make decisions that improve the quality of life in his Hollywood career.
He told the magazine that his upcoming rom-com “Your Place or Mine” was originally set to shoot in Georgia because of the state’s production tax credit. However, this takes him away from his children during the school year.
“I have young children, and I love my children very much,” he said. “I love spending time with them.”
As a solution, Kutcher negotiated with Netflix to move the production to his Beverly Hills home in Los Angeles, taking extra budget expenses directly out of his salary.
This financial sacrifice allowed him to be with his family every night to attend to his children’s preparations at school, and he told Esquire that it was worth the trade-off.
Now, Kutcher’s financial security allows him to be selective about the jobs he takes and the jobs he throws.
“I want to tell stories that say something,” he said. “I want to tell stories that make people happy. And I want to present stories that make people think. And I want to play characters that are fun to play. And I’m willing to work my ass off to do that.”
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