Ashton Kutcher learned about privacy 'the hard way'

Ashton Kutcher learned to value his privacy 'the hard way'.

The 'Two and a Half Men' actor is desperate to keep his new romance with former 'That '70s Show' co-star Mila Kunis private following his high-profile marriage to, and split from, actress Demi Moore.

In an interview with ELLE magazine, the actor said: 'You know, I've learned the hard way how valuable privacy is. And I've learned that there are a lot of things in your life that really benefit from being private. And relationships are one of them. And I am going to do everything in my power to have this relationship be private.'

The 35-year-old star met Mila, 29, on the set of the hit sitcom - which ran from 1998 to 2006 - in which they played love interests, but their real-life relationship didn't blossom until last year following his split from the 'Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle' actress.

Quizzed about their transition from co-stars to couple, he responded: 'People will fill in the blanks however they want.'

Ashton, who joined 'Two and a Half Men' in 2011 following Charlie Sheen's departure from the show amidst a public feud with creator Chuck Lorre, added that people perceive him to be a demanding Hollywood star but he insists he's really 'just a geek'.

Speaking on his initial meeting with Chuck, he said: 'There was an impression that I was this sort of larger-than-life, with-a-posse kind of guy. After we met and hung out, he realised I was just a geek.'