Ashton Kutcher's IQ is often listed as 160, with no test or source behind it. The documented part is more interesting: a would-be biochemical engineer who ended up picking start-ups.
Born four minutes apart
Christopher Ashton Kutcher was born on 7 February 1978 in Cedar Rapids, a fraternal twin. His father, Larry, was a factory worker and his mother, Diane, worked for Procter & Gamble. The twins' lives split early, and his brother's illness shaped what Ashton wanted to study.
Born first, healthy. Grew up in Cedar Rapids and then the small town of Homestead.
Watched his twin go through a heart transplant, the crisis he has called the defining moment of his childhood.
Broke into his high school at night with a cousin; convicted of third-degree burglary, with three years' probation and 180 hours of community service. The record was later expunged.
Born with cerebral palsy.
At 13, suffered viral cardiomyopathy and received a heart transplant.
Now an advocate for people with cerebral palsy.
Education, from the lab notebook
Graduated after the probation episode, which he has said made him rethink his choices.
Swept Cheerios dust off factory floors to pay for college.
Enrolled hoping to research a cure for his brother's heart condition.
A talent scout spotted him on campus; after winning Iowa's “Fresh Faces” contest he moved to New York and never went back to his degree.
The race to a million followers
In April 2009 he challenged CNN's breaking-news account to a race: first to one million Twitter followers. Press play. The pacing here is illustrative; the outcome is real.
CNN's account starts with a head start.
Two careers running at once
Michael Kelso, the lovable idiot of Point Place, Wisconsin.
Stoner comedy with Seann William Scott.
Created, produced and hosted the MTV hidden-camera prank show.
A dramatic turn as a man who can rewrite his past.
Replaced Charlie Sheen as the lead, playing an internet billionaire.
Played Steve Jobs in the biopic.
Netflix sitcom, reuniting him with Danny Masterson and Debra Winger.
Production company behind Punk'd and other shows.
Fund with Guy Oseary and Ron Burkle; early stakes in Skype, Airbnb, Uber and Spotify.
Co-founded the nonprofit building technology to fight child sexual abuse online; testified to the US Senate in 2017.
Hired as a “product engineer” working on the Yoga tablet line.
Venture firm with Oseary; raised an AI-focused fund in 2023 that backed OpenAI and Anthropic.
Sources
- University of Iowa enrolment records (1996)
- CNN and Twitter coverage of the million-follower race (April 2009)
- US Senate Foreign Relations Committee testimony (Feb 2017)
- Sound Ventures fund announcements (2023)
- What's Your IQ editorial review of circulated figures