That 70s Show came to an end back in 2006. Since then, its cast members have managed to build a successful career. For instance, Danny Masterson, who played Steven Hyde on the show, has appeared in many movies, including The Bridge to Nowhere and The Chicago 8. Then, in 2016, Masterson landed a leading role in Netflix’s sitcom The Ranch, starring along Sam Elliott, his That 70s Show co-star Ashton Kutcher, and Elisha Cuthbert.
However, his career took a turn for the worst in 2017 after he was accused of sexual assault by five different women. That year, his character was written out of The Ranch, and the actor found himself with no other work opportunities. Despite his abrupt exit from the show, Masterson still urged fans to keep watching the sitcom.
Now that Masterson has been found guilty and faces up to 30 years in prison, it seems that the actor’s career won’t ever be the same.
Related: That '70s Show Creator Mark Brazill Subtly Shaded Former Co-Star Danny Masterson For His Behaviour
The Allegations Against Danny Masterson Ruined His Career
In 2017, Danny Masterson was involved in a huge scandal after five women raised sexual assault allegations against the actor. Two years later, four of the women decided to file a formal lawsuit against Masterson and the Church of Scientology for invading their privacy and attempting to obstruct justice since they had reported the actor.
Three years later, the actor was arrested and charged with three felony counts of rape. This led to a long-drawn series of trials. In March 2020, the actor was set free after paying a $3 million bail. But that was not the end of things.
Between April and May of this year, a new trial against Masterson was held in Los Angeles, California. On May 31st, the That 70s Show star was convicted of two of the three counts of rape. But the jury was hung 8 against 4 in favor of convicting them on the third charge.
Related: Danny Masterson's Wife Is Nearly As Controversial As He Is, Here's Why
As of today, the actor is incarcerated at the Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles, where he is set to remain without bail until sentencing, although there’s no foreseeable date for this. Masterson could face up to 30 years to life in prison for his crimes.
When Danny Masterson Was Fired from The Ranch After the Scandal, But Told Fans To Keep Watching The Show
In 2016, Danny Masterson got cast as Jameson "Rooster" Ford Bennett in Netflix’s sitcom The Ranch. The series stars Masterson and Ashton Kutcher as two brothers who help their father (Sam Elliot) run a cattle ranch in Colorado.
Even That 70s Show stars Wilmer Valderrama, Kurtwood Smith, and Debra Jo Rupp made regular appearances on the show. “As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of The Ranch. [Monday] was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him,” Netflix revealed in a statement published in 2017.
Related: Was That '70s Show Removed From Netflix Because Of Danny Masterson?
So, when the third season came out in 2018, Masterson’s character was written off the show. During the third season of The Ranch, Rooster gets into a rivalry with his ex-girlfriend Mary's boyfriend Nick, and an episode later, it is discovered that his motorcycle went off the side of a dangerous road. Ultimately, his character went missing and was presumed dead.
Despite his abrupt exit from the show due to the sexual assault allegations against him, Masterson remained supportive of the cast and crew of The Ranch. "The Rooster may be MIA but @THERANCHNETFLIX is back and it's incredible," the actor wrote on an Instagram post of the title name of the show. "Please support this great show we spent years putting together. The cast is beyond incredible. The writers were given the ultimate worse case scenario and instead of throwing in the towel they worked longer hours to create new heartbreaking and hysterical storylines."
Then, he made sure to let fans know he didn’t have any hard feelings towards the cast and crew of the show, "I've worked with most of the crew since the mid-90s on Cybil, 70s, Men at Work, and until last year The Ranch. They are my family," he continued. "They work 10-14 hour shoot days to make you smile in 30-minute increments. Support them. Support comedy. Support art. Support the Iron River ranch and the Bennett family. Much love y'all. DM."
Danny Masterson Was The Only Original Cast Member Not To Appear In That 90s Show
Earlier this year, Netflix’s spin-off series of That 70s Show came out. Titled That 90s Show, the series is set in 1995 and it follows a new set of characters, including Eric and Donna’s daughter Leia, as well as Red and Kitty’s day-to-day lives. While many of the original cast members appeared in this new show, Masterson didn’t. In fact his character, Hyde, was not mentioned at all and was even excluded from a flashback scene pulled from the original show.
It’s clear that Masterson wasn’t invited to come back to That 90s Show due to the scandal. Despite this, the actor still showed his support to his former cast members.
“This is literally the dopest thing I’ve heard in a decade,” he wrote via Instagram, praising Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp. He also made it clear he wasn’t happy about the show’s creators and producers' decision to exclude him from this new project, “So f—king excited for @therealkurtwoodsmith and @debrajorupp two of the great humans and greatest actors on this planet. Can’t wait to watch and laugh. Same creators/writers/producers as 70s.”
