Honestly, the way Mila Kunis landed her spot on That '70s Show is basically the stuff of Hollywood legend now. You've probably heard the rumors. She lied. She flat-out looked a casting director in the eye and fudged the numbers. At 14, she told the producers she would be 18 on her birthday—she just didn't specify which birthday.
It worked.
Kunis was cast as Jackie Burkhart, the spoiled, high-maintenance fashionista who somehow became the heartbeat of the basement gang. But behind the bell-bottoms and the "Hello, Wisconsin!" screams, there was a literal child navigating a grown-up world. While her co-stars like Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson were in their late teens or early 20s, Mila was worrying about her algebra homework between takes.
The Audition Lie That Changed Everything
When the call went out for That '70s Show, the creators, Bonnie and Terry Turner, were looking for a very specific vibe. They wanted 18-year-olds. Why? Because California labor laws are a nightmare for filming schedules when minors are involved. If you're 18, you can work 12, 14, 16 hours. If you're 14, you need a studio teacher and strict "wrap" times.
Mila knew this. She wanted the job.
She walked in and did her thing. She was perfect. She had that "it" factor—a mix of bossy confidence and genuine charm that defined Jackie. When they eventually found out she was only 14, the producers were already hooked. They couldn't imagine anyone else in those platform shoes.
"I wasn't my first exaggeration," she recently told WSJ Style. She had been acting since she was nine, and in that world, you just say "yes" to get in the room. Can you ride a horse? Yes. Can you speak French? Absolutely. Can you be 18 by August? Sure.
Growing Up in Point Place
Imagine going through puberty while millions of people watch you every week. That was Mila's reality. She basically lived her entire adolescence on that Fox set. She had her sweet 16 there. She had her 18th birthday there. She even had her high school prom while the show was in full swing.
Actually, the show was her "public high school" in a weird way. She’s mentioned before that she didn't even realize the show was a massive hit until she was about 17 or 18. Her parents kept her grounded—like, really grounded. They worked full-time jobs and treated her acting like a "world's greatest hobby."
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They didn't even show her her bank account until she was an adult.
She lived in a house where if she needed $20 for a movie, she’d just take it from a communal drawer. There was no "child star" ego. Just a girl who happened to have 200 episodes of television documented as her childhood home movies.
That "Slightly Illegal" First Kiss
This is the part that everyone brings up at parties. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher are now one of Hollywood’s most stable couples, but their start was... awkward.
Mila’s first-ever kiss wasn't behind the bleachers or at a school dance. It was on camera. With Ashton Kutcher.
- The Age Gap: She was 14. He was 19.
- The Nerves: She admitted she had a massive crush on him because he was a "Calvin Klein model."
- The Bet: Rumor has it (and Ashton has confirmed) that Danny Masterson bet him $20 to "French" her during a scene.
- The Reality: Ashton had no idea it was her first kiss. He just thought she was a "bratty little sister" type.
They didn't even like each other that much back then. They were friends, sure, but the romance didn't happen for another decade. Ashton went off to marry Demi Moore. Mila was with Macaulay Culkin for eight years. It wasn't until a 2012 housewarming party that things finally clicked.
Why Jackie Burkhart Still Matters
Jackie wasn't just a "rich girl" trope. Over eight seasons, she became one of the most developed characters on the show. She went from being Kelso’s accessory to dating Hyde—a pairing that most fans still swear was the best part of the series—and finally trying to find herself as an independent woman.
She was the only one in the gang who didn't usually go by her last name. Think about it: Forman, Hyde, Kelso, Pinciotti. But Jackie was just Jackie.
She was also Red Forman’s favorite. Why? Because she was the only one who actually helped him in the garage without whining (well, mostly). She could hold a flashlight properly while Eric couldn't.
The Financials of a Sitcom Star
By the end of the show's run in 2006, the core cast was making bank. Topher Grace and Ashton Kutcher were pulling in roughly $250,000 to $300,000 per episode. Since Mila started younger and had less leverage initially, she likely wasn't at that level, but reports suggest she was still clearing $100,000 an episode by the final season.
With 200 episodes total, the math adds up to a life-changing amount of money before she even hit her mid-twenties.
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The Legacy and That '90s Show
When Netflix announced That '90s Show, people wondered if Mila and Ashton would return. They did, for a brief, perfect cameo. Jackie and Kelso are married (again) and have a kid named Jay who is just as dim-witted and charming as his dad.
It felt full circle.
Watching her back on that set, it's clear that That '70s Show wasn't just a job for her. It was the foundation. It gave her the comedic timing she used in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and the discipline she needed to train seven days a week for Black Swan.
How to Watch Like an Expert
If you’re going back for a rewatch, keep an eye on the early Season 1 episodes. You can visibly see Mila's age. She looks like a kid because she was a kid.
- Watch for the height: She's significantly shorter than everyone else in the first two seasons.
- Check the outfits: Her wardrobe was much more "doll-like" in the beginning before transitioning into the classic 70s glam.
- The Hyde Era: Pay attention to Season 5. This is where her acting really shifts from "sitcom kid" to "leading lady."
Actionable Insight: If you're a fan of Mila's work, don't just stop at the reruns. Check out her performance in Black Swan to see how she shed the "Jackie" persona entirely, then watch Bad Moms to see how she brought that comedic timing into motherhood. It’s a masterclass in career evolution.