Ashton Kutcher confirms that he’s a Cub Scout den leader

Photo by BACKGRID, Inc.

No, Daily Mail, it’s not a Halloween costume.

(At least they got closer to the truth last month, when the British tabloid called it “getting in the Scouting spirit.”)

Why does actor Ashton Kutcher keep walking around the streets of Los Angeles in a BSA uniform, for all the paparazzi to see? Sometimes the most obvious answer is the correct one: He’s a registered leader in the BSA.

“I’m the den leader for my son’s Cub Scout den,” Kutcher told Access Hollywood during an interview promoting his latest movie, Your Place or Mine, with costar Reese Witherspoon. “It was funny, because the first time I went, it was around Halloween. And this thing came out like, ‘oh, Ashton’s in a Halloween costume!’

“No, I’m the den leader. And that’s me on the way to the den meeting.”

“I was a Scout”

Kutcher, who broke into show business when he starred in the long-running sitcom That ‘70s Show, was a Scout as a youth and has praised the program for shaping the person he is today.

“I was a Scout,” he told Access Hollywood. “I was a Cub Scout … I was a Boy Scout …”

When Witherspoon asked him if he has the Scout “code” memorized, Kutcher didn’t hesitate.

“Trustworthy-loyal-helpful-friendly-courteous-kind-obedient-cheerful-thrifty-brave-clean-reverent,” said Kutcher without hesitation.

(Witherspoon, to her credit, was able to recite the Girl Scout Promise rather effectively as well.)

“That’s what I’m saying!” responded Kutcher. “I’m telling you … Scouts had such a deep impact on my life. It sets you in a place where you feel self-sufficient, you feel prepared …”

“Accomplished … capable …” Witherspoon chimed in.

“You feel capable,” Kutcher nodded. “If all hell breaks loose, I’m lighting a fire and going camping, guys. … I think it’s a powerful thing.”

According to one report, Kutcher’s appearance in Your Place or Mine almost didn’t happen due to Kutcher not wanting to miss out on the experience of being a den leader:

Shooting was set to happen during the school year, and in Georgia, and that was not going to work for Kutcher. He didn’t want to give up that kind of time with his kids nor his den leader position for (his son’s) Cub Scout pack, and so he negotiated with Netflix to have them take the extra cost of shooting in L.A. (The Peach State offers a nice tax break!) out of his salary.

Esquire confirms:

He was able to make the movie and still make it home for dinner. Go to school events. Keep his gig as den leader for his son’s Cub Scout pack. It was worth it.

“In our pack, we have boys and girls, and it’s incredible”

Kutcher is also a philanthropist, devoting much of his efforts to fighting human trafficking.

He and ex-wife Demi Moore founded Thorn, a company that builds technology to defend children from sexual abuse. His charity, Ashton Runs, is dedicated to raising money for Thorn.

After the success of That ’70s Show, Kutcher appeared in comedies such as Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000), action movies such as The Butterfly Effect (2004), and a string of romantic comedies, including What Happens in Vegas (2008), Valentine’s Day (2010) and No Strings Attached (2011).

He returned to television for a successful run on Two and a Half Men (2011-2015) and The Ranch (2016-2020) and is currently in That ‘90s Show, the sequel/spinoff of the show that started it all.

“What’s amazing is in our pack, we have boys and girls, and it’s incredible,” Kutcher said. “And these kids are learning all of those values and all of those skills that I think will serve them in life.”

Your Place or Mine hits Netflix on Feb. 10. That ‘90s Show is available on Netflix now.


About Aaron Derr 425 Articles
Aaron Derr is the senior editor of Scout Life and Scouting magazines, and also a former Cubmaster and Scouts BSA volunteer.