Ashton Kutcher has addressed speculation about his villainous role in The Beauty and whether tech billionaire Elon Musk inspired it. He responded directly to comparisons fans have drawn between his character, The Corporation, and real-world figures.
Ashton Kutcher on if Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg inspired The Corporation in The Beauty
Ashton Kutcher confirmed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that his character in The Beauty, known as The Corporation, is not inspired by Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg. “This guy’s nothing like Mark,” he stated. Addressing comparisons to Musk, Kutcher added, “This is not based on Elon Musk. He might be the closest in wealth… but it’s not based on him.”
He further clarified, “It’s not based on any individual. There’s an air about people in very powerful positions — they have so much at their disposal that it appears as if everything they’re doing has this effortlessness to it.” Kutcher noted that he aimed to portray that quality on screen.
Kutcher plays The Corporation, a character who controls a trillion-dollar empire and introduces a drug called “The Beauty” that offers extreme attractiveness and youth. The character is introduced aboard a luxury yacht in Croatia, living a life of excess. The drug’s dangerous side effects are mirrored in his troubled personal life, particularly with his wife Franny Forst, played by Isabella Rossellini.
Kutcher shared that co-creator Ryan Murphy wrote the role specifically for him. “You are this character and I want you to play it,” Murphy told him. Murphy pitched the series by posing questions about GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro and the extremes people pursue for beauty.
Describing the role as a departure from his previous comedic work, Kutcher said, “It’s a fun challenge to try to justify what appear to be absolutely unjustifiable decisions.” He added, “That becomes this mental gymnastics that you have to play.”
Kutcher also reflected on the show’s broader themes, linking them to the rise of AI. “What happens when we commoditize intelligence? What becomes the most important thing? Is it kindness? Is it empathy? Or is it beauty?”
