Wilmer Valderrama Reveals 'Friendly Rivalry' with Ashton Kutcher on Set ofThat 70s Show

Mar. 15, 2025

Wilmer Valderrama; Ashton Kutcher.Photo:Mike Coppola/Getty; Charley Gallay/Getty

Mike Coppola/Getty; Charley Gallay/Getty

Wilmer Valderramais reminiscing on hisThat ‘70s Showdays withAshton Kutcher.

On Tuesday, Sept. 17, theNCISactor, 44, released his memoir,An American Story: Everyone’s Invited. In the book, Valderrama, who played Fez, opened up about auditioning for the sitcom, and what it was like working with Kutcher, 46, once he landed the role, perUs Weekly.

“Ashton was far more intelligent in real life than the character he played, and he was far more serious about the craft of acting than it appeared,” Valderrama admitted of thePunk’dalum, who became known to fans as Michael Kelso, the jock of the show.

Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama — That ’70s Show.20th Century Fox/Everett

20th Century Fox/Everett

According to Valderrama, the thing he and Kutcher had in common was that Kutcher “always came to set extremely prepared.”

“He and I soon developed a friendly rivalry to see who could get the biggest laughs from the audience on the first take,” Valderrama wrote, adding that that’s when “the laugh is always bigger.”

“If you mess up on the first take and try for a huge laugh on the second, the joke never lands as powerfully. If you need to do a third or fourth take, you might as well forget it,” he said.

Valderrama also confessed that he initially didn’t put much thought intoThat ‘70s Show, which was originally titledTeenage Wasteland.

“I didn’t put much stock into the show at first. I vowed to give it my all, just like everything else. But after you’ve been auditioning for a few years without much success, you learn not to get your hopes up,” Valderrama wrote.

Cast of ‘That ’70s Show’.FOX/Getty

In addition to Valderrama and Kutcher, the series also starredTopher Grace(Eric Forman),Laura Prepon(Donna Pinciotti),Mila Kunis(Jackie Burkhart),Danny Masterson(Steven Hyde), Debra Jo Rupp (Kitty Forman), Kurtwood Smith (Red Forman),Tanya Roberts(Midge Pinciotti), Don Stark (Bob Pinciotti),Lisa Robin Kelly(Laurie Forman) andTommy Chong(Leo Chingkwake).That ’70s Showran for 8 seasons from 1998 to 2006.

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In January 2023, Netflix launched theThat ’70s Showspin-off,That ’90s Show.

Though some of the original cast returned to Wisconsin, at the 2024Monte-Carlo Television Festivalin Monaco in June, Valderrama told PEOPLE why he was not part of the new series.

Wilmer Valderrama, May 2024.Corine Solberg/FilmMagic

Corine Solberg/FilmMagic

“There’s no time!” he exclusively told PEOPLE.

“We’re pushing 20 episodes a season [onNCIS], but at the same time, it’s the kids’ jobs,” he added, referring to the new cast members of the spin-off.

The reboot stars Callie Haverda as Leia Forman, the daughter of Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti, as well as Max Donovan, Ashley Aufderheide, Sam Morelos, Reyn Doi and Mace Coronel.

“This is their show now, and I think it was important that we came and pay respect to their show and have fun with the legacy of what we did,” Valderrama continued. “At the same time, it was really about, you know, now seeing them take it over.”

That ’70s Showis available to stream on Peacock.

source: people.com