LOS ANGELES — Ashton Kutcher has owned up to his red-carpet photos with co-star Reese Witherspoon that recently sent internet fans into a frenzy.
On Feb. 2, Kutcher and Witherspoon hit the red carpet in Los Angeles to promote their new Netflix rom-com, "Your Place or Mine." But instead of generating buzz about their performances, the actors went viral for several awkward photos that didn't exactly ooze chemistry.
"It's giving...divorced parents at their kids graduation," said one Twitter user.
"They look like they've never seen each other before let alone done a film together," wrote another.
On Wednesday, Kutcher revealed that he's seen the jokes and said that the awkwardness was somewhat intentional.
"If I put my arm around her and was, like, all friendly with her, I'd be having an affair with her," he said in Wednesday's episode of the "Chicks in the Office" podcast. "Like, the rumor would be that I'm having an affair with her."
He continued: "If I stand next to her, I put my hands into my pockets, there's no chance that could be the rumor. The rumor is we don't like each other."
In the film, Kutcher and "close" friend Witherspoon star as longtime buddies who decide to swap homes for a week, and rediscover their romance while doing so.
While Kutcher was worried about sparking affair rumors, his wife, fellow actor Mila Kunis, didn't share those concerns. In fact, she saw the press photos and wanted more chemistry between the co-stars, he said.
"She texted Reese and I together. She's like, 'Guys, you gotta, like, act like you like each other,'" Kutcher said on the podcast.
Witherspoon shared a similar message from Kunis while speaking with "Today" hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager on Monday.
"[Kunis] goes, 'You guys look so awkward on the red carpet together,'" the "Legally Blonde" star said.
As the awkward photos made the internet rounds over the weekend, other fans noted the co-stars' more lively press tour photos.
"There are also pictures that exist from that exact same event that are actually pretty cute imo lol," wrote one Twitter user.
"Your Place or Mine" begins streaming Friday on Netflix.
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