Mila Kunis is an American actress born on August 14, 1983. She moved to Los Angeles as a child and started acting early gaining fame for her role as Jackie Burkhart in the TV series That ’70s Show from the age of 15. Mila Kunis has also been the voice behind Meg Griffin in the animated series “Family Guy” since 1999.
Her big break in movies came with the 2008 romantic comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”. She received widespread praise for her role in the psychological thriller “Black Swan” (2010) earning nominations for the SAG Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Kunis has starred in several notable films including action movies like “Max Payne” (2008) and “The Book of Eli” (2010) the romantic comedy “Friends with Benefits” (2011) the fantasy film “Oz the Great and Powerful” (2013) where she played the Wicked Witch of the West and comedies such as “Ted” (2012), “Bad Moms” (2016) and its sequel “A Bad Moms Christmas” (2017).
| Full Name | Milena Markovna Kunis |
| Date of Birth | August 14, 1983 |
| Place of Birth | Chernivtsi, Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Height | 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) |
| Spouse | Ashton Kutcher |
| Children | Wyatt Isabelle Kutcher, Dimitri Portwood Kutcher |
| Net Worth | $75 million |
Mila Kunis’s Early Life and Education
Milena Markovna Kunis was born on August 14, 1983, into a Ukrainian Jewish family in Chernov’tsi Ukraine which was part of the Soviet Union at the time. Her mother Elvira was a physics teacher who also managed a pharmacy while her father Mark Kunis was a mechanical engineer who later worked as a cab driver after they emigrated. Kunis has an older brother named Michael. Her grandparents survived the Holocaust and Russian was the primary language spoken in her family.
When Kunis was 7 years old her family moved to Los Angeles with very little money just $250. They left the Soviet Union because they didn’t see a promising future there for Mila and her brother. Kunis mentioned that antisemitism in the Soviet Union was one of the reasons for their emigration. She recalled her early days in Los Angeles not knowing any English and feeling like an outsider in school.
In Los Angeles, Mila Kunis attended several schools including Rosewood Elementary School Hubert Howe Bancroft Middle School, and Fairfax High School where she graduated in 2001. During her time filming That ’70s Show she had a tutor on set for most of her high school education due to her acting commitments. She briefly attended UCLA and Loyola Marymount University.
Mila Kunis has identified strongly with her Jewish heritage mentioning that her family tried to maintain their Jewish identity despite religious suppression in the Soviet Union. She has also shared that a genealogical DNA test revealed she is predominantly Ashkenazi Jewish.
Career
Mila Kunis began acting at a young age. When she was nine her father enrolled her in acting classes in Beverly Hills. There she met Susan Curtis who later became her manager. Mila’s first audition landed her a role in a Barbie commercial followed by a Lisa Frank product commercial. She started appearing on TV in 1994 with roles in shows like Days of Our Lives and Baywatch. She also had small parts in 7th Heaven and Walker Texas Ranger and appeared in movies like Santa with Muscles and Gia where she played the young Gia Carangi.
At age 10, she tried out for a role in the movie Make a Wish Molly but didn’t get the part she wanted. Instead, she played a Mexican girl in a secondary role. In 1998 at just 14 years old she was cast as Jackie Burkhart in the sitcom That ’70s Show despite auditions being open to adults only. She won awards for her role in the show and also took over as Meg Griffin on Family Guy in 1999 impressing producers with her audition.
Throughout the 2000s, she appeared in various films including Forgetting Sarah Marshall in 2008 where her performance received praise. She also starred in Max Payne that year despite mixed reviews for the film itself.
In 2009, Mila Kunis appeared in the comedy movie Extract alongside Ben Affleck and Jason Bateman. The film got mostly positive reviews and made $10.8 million at the box office. Roger Ebert despite his criticisms of the film acknowledged Kunis for making her role believable. Director Mike Judge was surprised by Kunis’s ability to reference the cult animation film Rejected saying her beauty didn’t overshadow her real-world appeal. Impressed by her performance in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” Judge cast Kunis as Cindy in Extract noting she was perfect for the role and enthusiastic about joining the production.
In 2010, Mila Kunis starred with Denzel Washington in the action film “The Book of Eli”. The movie received mixed reviews but earned over $157 million globally. Critics praised Kunis’s strong performance with Richard Roeper calling it exceptional. Even reviewers who weren’t fond of the film itself praised her acting abilities. She also appeared in a smaller role in the comedy “Date Night” with Tina Fey and Steve Carell where her performance was well-received.
That same year, Mila Kunis gained acclaim for her role in “Black Swan” for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination. Cast based on her work in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and recommended by Natalie Portman her co-star and friend Kunis underwent intense training for the ballet-themed movie including a strict diet and rigorous exercise regimen. Despite sustaining injuries during filming including a torn ligament and dislocated shoulder Kunis’s performance was highly praised. Black Swan was a critical success earning multiple award nominations and grossing over $329 million worldwide.
In 2011, Kunis starred opposite Justin Timberlake in the romantic comedy “Friends with Benefits” which was both a box office success and well-received by critics who appreciated the chemistry between Kunis and Timberlake. The New York Times highlighted Kunis’s vibrant presence and her ability to energize mainstream romantic comedies.
In 2012, Mila Kunis starred in “Ted” alongside Mark Wahlberg her most commercially successful film to date grossing $549 million worldwide. Directed by Seth MacFarlane the film received positive reviews with critics praising Kunis for bringing depth to her role as Wahlberg’s girlfriend.
In 2013, Mila Kunis played Theodora the youngest of three witches alongside James Franco in Disney’s “Oz the Great and Powerful”. She dedicated her role to Margaret Hamilton the original Wicked Witch of the West from the 1939 film. Critics had mixed opinions on the movie and Kunis’s performance. Kim Newman praised her portrayal as Theodora adding depth to the spectacle while Todd McCarthy felt her performance lacked certainty leaving her character in a state of uncertainty. Despite mixed reviews “Oz the Great and Powerful” was a commercial success grossing over $493 million worldwide.
In the same year, Kunis appeared in the crime thriller “Blood Ties” at the Cannes Film Festival alongside Clive Owen and Marion Cotillard. The film received varied reviews. She also starred in the comedy “The Angriest Man” in Brooklyn with Robin Williams and Peter Dinklage which had a limited release and received poor reviews.
Mila Kunis was part of the ensemble cast in Third Person directed by Paul Haggis and premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. The film received mostly negative reviews though Kunis’s performance was highlighted positively by some critics for its raw intensity.
In October 2014, Mila Kunis launched Orchard Farm Productions with her partners focusing on developing TV projects for ABC Studios. In 2015, she starred in the science fiction film Jupiter Ascending alongside Channing Tatum which despite grossing over $183.9 million received mostly negative reviews for its confusing plot and visual style.
Kunis found success in the comedy “Bad Moms” in 2016 with Kristen Bell and Christina Applegate earning over $183.9 million against a $20 million budget despite mixed critical reception. The film led to a sequel “A Bad Moms Christmas” in 2017.
In 2018, Mila Kunis starred in “The Spy Who Dumped Me” with Kate McKinnon which received mixed reviews and grossed over $75 million worldwide. She also received praise for her role in “Four Good Days” at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020 despite the film’s mixed critical reception.
Mila Kunis continues to expand her career producing and starring in projects like the Netflix adaptation of “Luckiest Girl Alive” in 2022 which received mixed reviews but showcased her acclaimed performance. She received a nomination for The Drama Movie Star at the 2022 People’s Choice Awards.
Looking ahead Kunis is set to co-star with Michael Keaton in the comedy film “Goodrich” and produce and star in “The 47 Night Stand” a new film from Skydance. She has also joined the cast of the Knives Out franchise’s latest installment “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” alongside Daniel Craig for Netflix.
Net Worth
Mila Kunis had an estimated net worth of $75 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main Source of Mila Kunis’s net worth primarily comes from her successful acting career. She gained fame for her role as Jackie Burkhart on the TV show “That ’70s Show.” Her movie career took off with hits like “Black Swan,” “Friends with Benefits,” “Ted,” and the “Bad Moms” series.
Besides acting, Kunis has done voice work for the animated series “Family Guy” and has been involved in various endorsement deals and business ventures. These combined sources of income have significantly contributed to her net worth.
Personal life
Mila Kunis started dating actor Macaulay Culkin in 2002. Rumors about their marriage circulated during their relationship but Kunis denied them. They split amicably in January 2011.
In early 2011, Kunis disclosed her battle with chronic iritis which temporarily caused blindness in one eye. She underwent successful surgery months before correcting the issue. Kunis also has heterochromia iridum where her left eye is brown and her right eye is green.
In September 2011, the FBI investigated the hacking of Kunis’s and other celebrities’ cellphones and emails. Christopher Chaney from Florida later pleaded guilty to computer hacking charges.
In November 2011, Mila Kunis attended a U.S. Marine Corps Ball with Sgt. Scott Moore whom she had accepted an invitation from after he posted a YouTube video while serving in Afghanistan.
Kunis began dating Ashton Kutcher her former co-star from That ’70s Show in 2012. They got engaged in February 2014 and married in July 2015. They have two children and live in a sustainable farmhouse they designed in Beverly Hills.
During her second pregnancy in 2016, Kunis surprised her parents by renovating their condominium in six weeks documented on My HouzzTV. In April 2020, Kunis and Kutcher launched Quarantine Wine donating all proceeds to COVID-19 aid. They later introduced Outside Wine with profits supporting The Skate Park Project and Thorn.org.
In 2022, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher started a successful GoFundMe campaign to aid refugees fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine surpassing their $30 million goal by March 18, 2022. They pledged $3 million of their own money to the cause.
In 2023, Kunis and Kutcher faced criticism after supporting Danny Masterson in letters to a judge following his rape conviction. They apologized in a video clarifying the letters were not meant for public release. The apology received further criticism as insincere and performative.
Awards
Mila Kunis has starred in several well-received movies according to Rotten Tomatoes. These include Gia (1998), Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008), Extract (2009,) Date Night (2010), Black Swan (2010), Friends with Benefits (2011), Ted (2012), Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) and Bad Moms (2016). She’s also known for her roles in the TV series That ’70s Show (1998–2006) and the animated show Family Guy (1999–present).
Kunis’s performance in “Black Swan” earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress and two Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations. She was also nominated for an Annie Award for her voice work in “Family Guy” and received nominations from the Critics’ Choice Awards for her roles in “Black Swan” and “Ted”.
