Ashton Kutcher Plays Villain In 'The Beauty' And Clears Up Elon Musk Inspiration Rumours

Ashton Kutcher is making a sharp pivot in his next big role, trading his long-running comedy reputation for something far colder in Ryan Murphy's new series, The Beauty. After spending the last few years largely out of the spotlight, Kutcher is now stepping back into high-profile TV with a character built around power, luxury and moral rot.

In a recent interview, Kutcher said he had not been actively looking to return to acting. Instead, he had been focused on raising his young children, coaching flag football and running his venture capital firm. Even so, he changed his mind once Murphy reached out directly with a pitch that felt both timely and unsettling.

Ryan Murphy's Pitch Pulled Kutcher Back In

Kutcher said he initially told himself it was not the right moment to come back to screen work. Still, that hesitation faded once he heard Murphy's idea, since the creator framed the show around the modern obsession with becoming the 'best version' of yourself.

Kutcher explained that Murphy pointed to the rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, along with the booming cosmetic surgery industry. That discussion led into the series' central hook, which asks what people would do if a single shot could make them instantly beautiful.

That concept, Kutcher suggested, felt uncomfortably believable in today's culture, where appearance and status are often treated as a shortcut to power.

Inside Kutcher's Villain Role As 'The Corporation'

In 'The Beauty', Kutcher plays a character known as 'The Corporation', the head of a trillion-pound empire who operates with total freedom and extreme wealth. The character is introduced living a life of excess on a yacht in Croatia, setting the tone for the kind of world he controls.

According to Kutcher, his character is responsible for launching the show's key product, a drug called 'The Beauty'. It promises users youth and physical perfection, yet the story quickly makes it clear that the treatment comes with dangerous side effects. The series treats the drug as a temptation, while also exposing the damage that follows once people start chasing a fantasy they cannot reverse.

Kutcher said Murphy wrote the role specifically for him, telling him directly: 'You are this character and I want you to play it.'

Isabella Rossellini's Character Brings A Brutal Warning

The show also leans into the personal fallout behind the money. Kutcher's character has a troubled relationship with his wife, Franny Forst, played by Isabella Rossellini, who openly disapproves of what he is unleashing.

In the trailer, she delivers one of the sharpest lines when she tells him she prays for his death. That moment adds weight to the idea that 'The Beauty' is not just a business move. Instead, it becomes a moral fracture that poisons the people closest to him, even before the drug's effects ripple outward.

Kutcher Says Elon Musk Comparisons Are Wrong

As early buzz around the series spread online, some viewers began comparing Kutcher's billionaire villain to real-world tech figures, especially Elon Musk. Kutcher has now shut that down.

He said the character is not based on Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, although he admitted Musk might be the closest match in terms of money alone. Even so, Kutcher stressed the similarities stop there, since the role is not meant to mirror any one individual. Instead, he said it reflects the broader 'air' of powerful people who live with so many resources that everything looks effortless.

Kutcher's comments on the rumours were also echoed in a separate report summarising the interview.

Why This Role Marks A Major Shift For Kutcher

Kutcher is best known for playing likeable characters, so stepping into villain territory marks a major change in how audiences will see him. He described the role as a challenge because it forces him to justify actions that would normally feel impossible to defend.

Rather than judging the character, Kutcher said he has to treat him like someone who genuinely believes he is doing what needs to be done. That mindset, he explained, is what makes a villain convincing on screen instead of exaggerated.

The Show Taps Into Modern Fears About Beauty And Power

Beyond the billionaire comparisons, Kutcher suggested the story connects to something wider, including the way society is evolving. He linked the show's themes to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and asked what matters most once intelligence becomes commoditised.

He raised questions around kindness, empathy and beauty, and suggested the series forces audiences to sit with how those values are being reshuffled in modern life. In that sense, 'The Beauty' is not just a thriller about a dangerous miracle drug. It also plays like a warning about what people will sacrifice for perfection, and who profits when they do.