Ashton Kutcher reveals what he thinks 'ruined' his acting career

He might boast one of the most successful, highest-earning careers in Hollywood, but Ashton Kutcher believes he could have done better.

For those in need of a reminder, the actor, producer and model's career first kicked off in 1998, after he landed the role of 'Michael Kelso' in That '70s Show, after which he was cast in a stream of rib-tickling romantic-comedies.

This included the likes of Dude, Where's My Car?, Just Married, Guess Who, What Happens in Vegas, and My Boss's Daughter.

That isn't to say that he's solely a comic actor, having also appeared in mystery hit Vengeance, as well as the movie-musical Annie and as himself in the dark documentary, The Man Who Saved The World.

Kutcher previously worked as a model (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

As we say, however, despite boasting an impressive array of projects and a broad range of genres on his professional CV, Kutcher believes he was somewhat held back from certain gigs - the more heartfelt type.

The reason why? His rugged good looks, apparently.

"I think every role you get, part of it is what you look like, right?" he asked during an appearance on a New York Comic Con panel on Saturday (18 Oct), after being asked about playing a 'hilarious supervillain' in FX thriller The Beauty.

Kutcher reportedly continued, as per PEOPLE: "And so, there are roles that I’ve gotten because of the way I look and there are roles that I haven’t gotten because of the way I look."

"Sometimes it’s frustrating," the 47-year-old went on, claiming specifically he's missed out on more serious 'down on your luck' roles.

This said, however, Kutcher insists he understands the decisions often made by casting agents.

Kutcher believes his good looks were something of a hindrance (Jason Mendez/Getty Images for ReedPop)

"You’re trying to tell a story with pictures, and the pictures need to create a feeling for the audience," the No Strings Attached star explained.

Of his latest role - a Ryan Murphy project based on a 2016 book of the same name, in which an STD is doing the rounds that makes those affected beautiful - Kutcher described the gig as both 'complex' and 'nuanced'.

"Without giving away too much, almost every one of us has an incredibly nuanced role where, in some way, shape or form, we’re playing something that we are or we aren’t at any given time," he went on. "It creates this underlying ability to embody insecurities that you may have, that you hide away and you push down, and you don’t let anyone in the world see it."