Most people know the name Ashton Kutcher. They know the tech-savvy investor, the That '70s Show star, and the guy who was once the face of Nikon cameras. But fewer people know the story of the guy who arrived five minutes later. In 1978, in a hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Diane and Larry Kutcher were expecting one baby. Surprise: they got two.
The second baby was small. He was less than five pounds, barely breathing, and strikingly quiet compared to his brother. That was Michael Kutcher.
The Reality of Growing Up as the "Other" Twin
Honestly, being the twin brother of a global heartthrob isn't always the dream people think it is. Michael was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) before he even started kindergarten. It wasn’t just a medical label; it affected his motor skills, his speech, and his vision. Imagine trying to keep up with a brother who is basically the human equivalent of a Golden Retriever—full of energy and physically thriving—while your own body feels like it's constantly glitching.
Ashton (or Chris, as the family calls him) became Michael’s fiercest protector early on. There’s a story Michael tells about riding bikes when they were kids. A group of bullies started picking on Michael because of his "diffabilities"—a term Michael coined later in life. Ashton didn't just ignore it. He picked a fight. He stood his ground and demanded they treat his brother with respect.
It wasn't just about playground scraps, though. Ashton famously refused to go to sleepovers if Michael wasn't invited. If Michael couldn't go, Ashton wasn't going. Period. That kind of loyalty is rare, but it also created a complex dynamic as they got older.
📖 Related: Famous People from Toledo: Why This Ohio City Keeps Producing Giants
The Night Everything Almost Ended
If CP wasn't enough, life threw a curveball when the twins were 13. Michael was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy. Basically, his heart had swollen to four times its normal size. Doctors gave him weeks to live. Then, a few days later, he went into cardiac arrest. The timeline shrunk from weeks to forty-eight hours.
This is the part of the story that sounds like a Hollywood script, but it’s 100% real.
Young Ashton was so distraught that he actually considered jumping from a hospital balcony. He wanted to end his own life so his heart could be transplanted into his brother. His father, Larry, had to talk him down. Thankfully, a donor heart became available at the eleventh hour, and Michael underwent a life-saving transplant.
The 2003 Betrayal and the Road to Forgiveness
For a long time, Michael kept his health struggles private. He didn't want to be the "poster child" for disability. He wanted to be a regular guy working in finance. But in 2003, during a national TV interview, Ashton mentioned Michael’s cerebral palsy.
👉 See also: Enrique Iglesias Height: Why Most People Get His Size Totally Wrong
Michael was livid.
He felt like his brother had outed his private struggle without permission. It caused a rift. For years, there was a palpable distance between them. Michael has since admitted that a lot of that anger was actually jealousy. While Ashton was becoming a household name and moving to New York to model and act, Michael felt like a piece of himself had vanished. He was stuck in the "victim" mindset, feeling sorry for himself and resentful of his brother's effortless success.
It took a blunt conversation to fix it. Michael eventually told Ashton: "Every time you look at me and feel sorry for me, you make me less."
That was the turning point. Ashton stopped pitying him, and Michael stopped hiding. He realized that his brother’s platform wasn't a threat—it was an opportunity. Today, Michael is a massive advocate for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and organ donation. He even successfully testified before U.S. lawmakers in 2023 to secure more funding for CP research.
✨ Don't miss: Elisabeth Harnois: What Most People Get Wrong About Her Relationship Status
Where is Michael Kutcher Now?
As we move through 2026, Michael is far from just "Ashton's twin." He lives in Colorado, where he’s built a serious career in the financial sector, specifically with Transamerica Retirement Solutions. He’s a husband, a father, and a sought-after keynote speaker who talks about "perspective" rather than just medical history.
He still deals with the physical realities of his condition, but his outlook has shifted entirely. He views his life not as a series of unfortunate events, but as a "gift" (hence his work with the #BeTheGift campaign).
Actionable Takeaways from Michael’s Journey
If you’re looking to apply the "Kutcher mindset" to your own life, here’s what Michael’s story actually teaches us:
- Audit Your Language: Stop using the word "disability" if it feels like a weight. Michael uses "diffability" to highlight that his brain just functions differently, not worse.
- The Power of the Window Seat: In a 2025 speech to safety leaders, Michael urged people to literally "take the window seat." It’s a metaphor for slowing down and actually looking at the world instead of your phone.
- Stop the Pity Party: If you have a friend or family member struggling with a health issue, treat them with dignity, not just sympathy. Pity can be isolating; partnership is empowering.
- Register for Organ Donation: This is Michael’s biggest "ask." One donor can save up to eight lives. It’s the reason he’s still standing here today.
Michael and Ashton are closer than ever now. You'll occasionally see them on a red carpet together, like at the 2026 Golden Globes, but the dynamic has changed. They aren't the protector and the protected anymore. They’re just two brothers who survived a lot of chaos and decided that the best way to handle fame—and life—is to do it together.
Next Step for You: Visit the Cerebral Palsy Foundation to learn how modern research is changing the lives of adults living with CP, or check your local donor registry to see how you can sign up for organ donation.