Ashton Kutcher: Steve Jobs was the 'Leonardo da Vinci of our generation'

Ashton Kutcher spent his early years playing characters with low IQs, but the 35-year-old has made a successful second career out of tech entrepreneurship. In an interview with Jay Leno on Wednesday, Kutcher appeared rather emotional about Steve Jobs, whom he portrays in the upcoming biopic, "Jobs."

Kutcher said he skipped out on an opportunity to meet the Apple co-founder six months before his death in 2011.

"In hindsight, I look back and think ‘I had an opportunity to meet the Leonardo da Vinci of our generation’ and I missed it,” Kutcher said.

“The day that he died, for me it was almost like, I hear people talking about they knew where they were the day Kennedy died. For me I’ll never forget the moment I heard he died," the actor added.

Kutcher said that his portrayal of the tech great came from a place of great admiration.

“I realize that I’d taken for granted the contribution that he actually gave to society. I actually had a real emotional moment,” he said. “I wanted to ensure that his legacy was told from someone who admired him.”

"Jobs" hits theaters August 16.