Brief Introduction of Mila Kunis
Milena “Mila” Markovna Kunis is a highly acclaimed American actress renowned for her versatile performances across both television and film. She first gained widespread recognition for her role as Jackie Burkhart on the popular sitcom That ’70s Show and has since become a household name for voicing Meg Griffin on the long-running animated series Family Guy. Kunis transitioned seamlessly to the big screen, earning critical acclaim for her dramatic turn in Black Swan, for which she received numerous accolades. Her filmography showcases a broad range, from successful comedies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Ted, and Bad Moms to action and fantasy films such as The Book of Eli and Oz the Great and Powerful.
Mila Kunis Overview
| Full Name | Milena Markovna Kunis |
| Date of Birth | August 14, 1983 |
| Age | 41 (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | Chernivtsi, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 5′ 4″ (163 cm) |
| Profession | Actress, Producer |
| Spouse | Ashton Kutcher (m. 2015) |
| Children | Wyatt Isabelle Kutcher, Dimitri Portwood Kutcher |
| Net Worth | Approximately $75 million (as of 2025) |
Early Life and Education of Mila Kunis
Milena Markovna Kunis was born on August 14, 1983, in Chernivtsi, a city in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union. Her mother, Elvira, was a physics teacher who later ran a pharmacy, and her father, Mark Kunis, was a mechanical engineer who took on work as a cab driver after the family emigrated. She has an older brother named Michael. Her family is Jewish and her grandparents are Holocaust survivors. The primary language spoken in her household was Russian.
Citing antisemitism in the Soviet Union and seeking a better future for their children, her family decided to leave. In 1991, at the age of seven, Kunis and her family moved to Los Angeles, California, with just $250, arriving on a religious refugee visa. She has described the initial transition as incredibly challenging, recalling that she didn’t know a word of English. She has famously said, “Imagine being blind and deaf at age 7. And that’s kind of what it felt like moving to the States.” She enrolled at Rosewood Elementary School and has spoken about blocking out memories of second grade due to the daily emotional struggle of not understanding the language, people, or culture. She credits watching The Price is Right with helping her learn English.
Kunis attended Hubert Howe Bancroft Middle School. During her high school years, while filming That ’70s Show, she had an on-set tutor. She briefly attended the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES) but transferred to Fairfax High School, where she graduated in 2001, as it offered more flexibility for her acting commitments. She also briefly attended UCLA and Loyola Marymount University.
Mila Kunis’s Career
Career Beginnings and Television Work
At the age of nine, Kunis’s father enrolled her in after-school acting classes at the Beverly Hills Studios, where she met her future manager, Susan Curtis. Her career began with commercials, landing her first gig for a Barbie ad. This was soon followed by roles in commercials for Lisa Frank products. Her first television appearances were in 1994 on Days of Our Lives and Baywatch. She also had small roles on shows like 7th Heaven.
Her major breakthrough came in 1998 when she was cast as the self-absorbed, witty Jackie Burkhart in the Fox sitcom That ’70s Show. Though the casting call required actors to be at least 18, the then 14-year-old Kunis told producers she would be 18, cleverly omitting when. The producers eventually discovered her real age but were so impressed that they kept her on. The show ran for eight successful seasons, and Kunis won two consecutive YoungStar Awards for her performance.
In 1999, Kunis took on another iconic role, replacing Lacey Chabert as the voice of the perpetually ostracized Meg Griffin on Seth MacFarlane’s animated sitcom Family Guy. MacFarlane, impressed by her performance on That ’70s Show, cast her after she auditioned, instructing her to speak more slowly. This role has become one of the longest-running in her career.
Transition to Film and Breakthrough
While still on television, Kunis began to venture into film. She appeared in Get Over It (2001) with Kirsten Dunst and the direct-to-DVD horror sequel American Psycho 2 (2002), a film she later expressed regret over. Her breakout film role came in 2008 with the Judd Apatow-produced comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, where her performance as the free-spirited hotel concierge Rachel Jansen earned her critical and audience praise.
She followed this with roles in the action film Max Payne (2008) and the post-apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli (2010) alongside Denzel Washington. However, it was her role as Lily in Darren Aronofsky’s 2010 psychological thriller Black Swan that marked a significant turning point in her career. Starring opposite Natalie Portman, Kunis underwent rigorous training in ballet. Her intense and nuanced performance garnered widespread critical acclaim, earning her the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress at the Venice International Film Festival and nominations for a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Established Film Career
Following the success of Black Swan, Kunis’s film career flourished. She starred opposite Justin Timberlake in the 2011 romantic comedy Friends with Benefits, which was a box office hit praised for the chemistry between its leads. In 2012, she reunited with Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane for his directorial debut, the blockbuster comedy Ted, co-starring Mark Wahlberg, which became her most commercially successful film at the time.
Her versatility continued to shine with her role as the Wicked Witch of the West, Theodora, in the 2013 Disney fantasy film Oz the Great and Powerful. She also starred in the sci-fi epic Jupiter Ascending (2015). Kunis found major success again with the comedy Bad Moms (2016), alongside Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn. The film was a massive commercial success, leading to the 2017 sequel, A Bad Moms Christmas. More recently, she starred in and produced the Netflix mystery film Luckiest Girl Alive (2022) and the comedy Goodrich (2024).
Mila Kunis Personal Life & Family
Mila Kunis began dating her former That ’70s Show co-star, Ashton Kutcher, in 2012. The couple got engaged in February 2014 and married in a private ceremony in Oak Glen, California, in July 2015. They have two children together: a daughter, Wyatt Isabelle, born in October 2014, and a son, Dimitri Portwood, born in November 2016. The family resides in a custom-designed sustainable farmhouse in Beverly Hills.
Kunis has spoken about the importance of raising her children to know their heritage, especially their Ukrainian roots, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. She and Kutcher are known for being relatively private about their children’s lives, choosing not to post photos of them on social media to protect their privacy. In 2016, Kunis surprised her parents by renovating their Los Angeles condominium, the same home she grew up in, a project documented for a web series.
Awards and Achievements of Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis has received numerous awards and nominations throughout her career, recognizing her work in both television and film.
- Venice Film Festival: Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress for Black Swan (2010).
- Saturn Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Black Swan (2011).
- Golden Globe Awards: Nominated for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Black Swan (2011).
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for Black Swan (2011).
- YoungStar Awards: Won Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series for That ’70s Show in 1999 and 2000.
- People’s Choice Awards: Nominated for Favorite Comedic Movie Actress and Favorite On-Screen Chemistry (with Mark Wahlberg for Ted).
- Critics’ Choice Movie Awards: Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Black Swan (2011).
Mila Kunis Net Worth and Income
As of 2025, Mila Kunis’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $75 million. Her wealth has been accumulated through her successful and long-standing acting career in both television and film. For her voice work on Family Guy, reports suggest she earns between $175,000 and $225,000 per episode. Her salary for film roles has also been substantial, particularly following her rise to A-list status. In addition to acting, Kunis has had lucrative endorsement deals with brands like Christian Dior and Gemfields jewelry. In 2014, she and her husband, Ashton Kutcher, launched a production company, Orchard Farm Productions.
Legacy and Influence
Mila Kunis has established herself as a versatile and respected actress in Hollywood, successfully navigating the transition from a teen sitcom star to a critically acclaimed film actress. Her public image is often characterized by her down-to-earth personality, humor, and candor.
Kunis is also a dedicated philanthropist. Along with her husband, Ashton Kutcher, she is a vocal advocate and supporter of various causes. They co-founded Thorn, a non-profit organization that develops technology to combat child sexual exploitation. In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kunis, who is a proud Ukrainian-American, launched the “Stand With Ukraine” GoFundMe campaign with Kutcher. They pledged to match up to $3 million in donations, and the campaign went on to raise over $37 million for humanitarian aid for Ukrainian refugees. For their efforts, Kunis was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2022.
Interesting Facts about Mila Kunis
- She has heterochromia, meaning her eyes are two different colors: one is brown and the other is green.
- Her first-ever kiss was an on-screen kiss with her future husband, Ashton Kutcher, on That ’70s Show.
- She is a self-proclaimed “Trekkie” and a fan of video games like World of Warcraft.
- She got the role in Black Swan without a formal audition, after a recommendation from co-star Natalie Portman and a conversation over Skype with the director.
- In 2011, she accepted a YouTube invitation from a U.S. Marine Sergeant to attend the Marine Corps Ball with him in North Carolina.
Controversies
In 2023, Kunis and her husband Ashton Kutcher faced significant public backlash after it was revealed they had written character letters in support of their former That ’70s Show co-star Danny Masterson, who was being sentenced for rape. The letters, which described Masterson in a positive light, were made public. Following widespread criticism, particularly given their work with the anti-child-exploitation charity Thorn, Kunis and Kutcher released a video apology, stating the letters were intended for the judge only and not to undermine the victims. The apology itself was also met with mixed reactions.
Social Media Presence
Mila Kunis is notably absent from social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. She has stated in interviews that she was “late to the train” and finds that social media has taken an “ugly turn,” becoming a negative space. She prefers to avoid reading about herself online and maintain her privacy. While her husband, Ashton Kutcher, is active on social media and occasionally posts about her, Kunis herself has no public accounts.
Final Words about Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis continues to be a prominent and influential figure in the entertainment industry. Having built a career on a foundation of comedic timing and dramatic depth, she remains a sought-after actress. Her recent work, including producing and starring in new films, indicates a continued passion for storytelling. Beyond her professional achievements, her commitment to philanthropy, especially her powerful advocacy for her native Ukraine, has become a significant part of her public legacy. With several projects in development, including a role in the next Knives Out mystery, Kunis’s future plans point toward further evolution as both an artist and a humanitarian, solidifying her status as a respected and multifaceted Hollywood star.
