NEW YORK — After embodying Steve Jobs in his new movie, Ashton Kutcher came to admire how the Apple Computer founder was able to balance his public and personal lives.
"He was better at it than I am," the 35-year old actor said Wednesday at the New York premiere of his new film, "JOBS."
"This business has a propensity to force you to be more public than you probably want to be," Kutcher said of show business.
He should know. Kutcher has seen his share of tabloid headlines after his very public breakup with actress Demi Moore. His current relationship with former "That '70s Show" co-star Mila Kunis has also been widely publicized.
But Kutcher says he's getting better at it.
"I think I've learned how to restrict that public image, and over the years I'm starting to understand the value of privacy," he said.
In the film, Kutcher plays the techno prophet who, along with Steve "Woz" Wozniak, ignited the personal computer revolution.
Jobs died two years ago after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56.
Kutcher said that while researching the role, he found there was a "Steve that Steve didn't always want to show."
He also said the most important aspect of playing such a public figure was to understand that the version of Jobs known by the public came much later.
"The guy with the glasses and the jeans and black turtleneck and the New Balance shoes giving a keynote speech to present some new, great, next, amazing product ... he wasn't always that guy. He actually evolved into that person in the same way that I'm not the same today at 35 as I was at 25, and I was at 15," Kutcher said.
"JOBS" opens Aug. 16.