Sam Elliott On Danny Masterson
After eight years of playing Steven Hyde on That '70s Show, Danny Masterson gained notoriety. He now faces 30 years to life in prison.
After eight years of playing Steven Hyde on That '70s Show, Danny Masterson gained notoriety. He now faces 30 years to life in prison. Although he played the rebellious and sardonic Hyde in one of television's most popular comedies and became well-known for it, the actor's troubled background finally caught up with him in 2017 when three women came forward to accuse him of sexually assaulting them in the early 2000s.
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| Sam Elliott On Danny Masterson |
After three seasons of acting alongside friend and former co-star Ashton Kutcher, Masterson was abruptly sacked from the popular Netflix original sitcom The Ranch when his accusers came forward. Let's look back at Danny Masterson's dismissal from The Ranch as well as the accusations and offences for which he has been found guilty.
Who Is Danny Masterson?
Initially focusing on commercial work, Danny Masterson launched his Hollywood career at an early age. By the time he was 16, he had appeared in over 100 commercials, including those for Hostess, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, and Clearasil. His half-sister Alanna appeared in The Walking Dead, while his half-brother Jordan appeared in Last Man Standing. His brother Christopher went on to star in Malcolm in the Middle.
Masterson played bit parts in films like Beethoven's 2nd and Face/Off as well as television shows like Roseanne, Sybill and Party of Five before getting his career-defining role as Steven Hyde. He then went on to audition for That '70s Show. Although the original casting director Debby Romano initially opposed Masterson's efforts to audition since he was a few years older than the other cast members, Masterson set out to land the role of rebellious, anti-establishment group member Hyde.
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| Sam Elliott On Danny Masterson |
Romano subsequently claimed that, "he came in and he was just so funny," which encouraged the writers to change the character's name to the "tough, funny guy." When That '70s Show debuted in 1998, Masterson's career absolutely took off, catapulting him and his castmates to superstardom.
That '70s Show Stardom
In the fictitious Wisconsin hamlet of Point Place, That '70s Show famously follows a group of six young friends as they navigate the ups and downs of life while dealing with the growing pains of puberty.
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| Sam Elliott On Danny Masterson |
Masterson joined the cast of the film along with Kurtwood Smith, Deborah Jo Rupp, Mila Kunis, Laura Prepon, Topher Grace, and Ashton Kutcher as the group of misfits that produce comic misadventures and keep Red and Kitty Forman on their toes. With 12.56 million viewers tuning in to the sitcom's inaugural episode, it immediately became the hottest new programme on television.
Masterson played Steven Hyde throughout the whole eight-season run of the heartwarming, rib-tickling comedy, which lasted from 1998 to 2006. Masterson guest-starred on Robot Chicken, MADtv, and Ashton Kutcher's MTV hidden camera programme Punk'd while he was a cast member of the audience-favorite sitcom. That '70s Show paved the path for the careers of its bright and colourful cast by winning a Primetime Emmy Award and numerous People's Choice Awards during its run.
After That '70s Show ended in 2006, Masterson continued to have success in leading roles in TBS sitcom Men at Work and films like Yes Man, The Bridge to Nowhere, and The Chicago 8, before reuniting with his close friend and former co-star Ashton Kutcher in 2016 for the Netflix comedy series The Ranch.
Masterson and Ashton Kutcher Reunite For The Ranch
Colt (Kutcher) and Rooster (Masteron) Bennett, two mismatched brothers, are the focus of the sitcom as they assist their hard-charging father Beau (Sam Elliott) in running their Colorado cattle ranch while the dysfunctional family struggles with both emotional and professional challenges.
Fans of That '70s Show were delighted with Masterson's portrayal of the hard-drinking, witty older Bennett sibling and thrilled to see the actor working with Kutcher once more. Prior to being written out in the middle of the third season's production because of the rape and sexual assault claims against him, he played the character for three seasons and 50 episodes. The streaming service then sacked him on the spot. In a formal statement, Netflix stated:
"Due to ongoing talks, Danny Masterson has been cut from The Ranch by Netflix and the producers. His final day on the show was [Monday], and without him, production will continue in early 2018.
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| Sam Elliott On Danny Masterson |
Masterson issued a lengthy statement in response to Netflix's decision, thanking the cast, crew, and his fans before addressing the accusations and stating his determination to clear his name:
"It goes without saying that I am very upset at Netflix's choice to remove my character off The Ranch. I have consistently refuted the ludicrous accusations made against me. These allegations were looked into by law enforcement more than 15 years ago, and it was found that they were unfounded. I've never been accused of committing a crime, much less found guilty of doing so. You are deemed innocent unless and unless proven guilty in this nation. However, it feels as though you are guilty as soon as you are accused in the current political climate.
Sexual Assault Charges
Three women claim that Masterson raped them between 2001 and 2003. In March 2017, the accusers formally accused the actor of sexual assault. Masterson was fired from The Ranch by Netflix when a fourth victim came forward in December of that same year, and he was subsequently dumped by his talent agency.
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| Sam Elliott On Danny Masterson |
Masterson was found guilty on two counts of forcible rape on May 31, 2023, and the jury was deadlocked 8-4, with the third charge likely to be found guilty. During the trial, the prosecution claimed that Masterson leveraged the fact that his accusers were also Church of Scientology members at the time of the assaults in order to continue getting away with his crimes for as long as he did. He received a sentence of 30 years to life in prison; however, after learning of "a number of significant evidentiary and constitutional issues" in the case, his attorneys have stated that they want to appeal the verdict.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, co-stars on That '70s Show with Masterson, faced anger from fans and haters after it was revealed that they had sent the judge letters of support. The duo then posted an apology video to clarify their actions. Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp also sent character letters, though they did not garner quite as much criticism or indignation.
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| Sam Elliott On Danny Masterson |
