Ashton Kutcher has insisted he does shower years after widespread debate about his bathing habits

Ashton Kutcher has insisted he does shower years after widespread debate about his bathing habits.

Back in 2021, the 47-year-old actor and his 42-year-old wife Mila Kunis sparked controversy after claiming they prefer to bathe themselves or their children when they look physically dirty.

Reflecting on the backlash years later, Ashton told PEOPLE magazine: "It was the craziest thing of all time.

"We made a comment at one point, and people were like, 'Does he stink? Does he smell?'"

Ashton was responding during a joint interview with The Beauty co-stars Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope, who weren't fully aware of the story.

He explained: "There was a comment on a podcast, so long ago… and people are like, 'They don't shower.' I'm like, 'I shower, I go to the gym, I shower!' "

Anthony laughed: "I can confirm my boy showers."

In 2021, Mila - who was born in the Soviet Union and moved to the US aged seven - and Ashton appeared on the Armchair Expert podcast.

She told friend Dax Shepard at the time: "I didn't have hot water growing up as a child, so I didn't shower much anyway."

She added: "But when I had children, I also didn't wash them every day.... I wasn't that parent that bathed my newborns — ever."

Ashton quipped: "Now, here's the thing: If you can see the dirt on them, clean them. Otherwise, there's no point."