Netflix dismissed actor Danny Masterson from his role on “The Ranch” on Tuesday, Dec. 5, following multiple sexual assault allegations made against him.
The American actor is most well-known for his role as Steven Hyde on “That ‘70s Show” alongside co-star Aston Kutcher and has appeared on the first two seasons of the Netflix series, “The Ranch” before his dismissal. His last day of filming was on Dec. 4.
“As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of ′The Ranch.′ Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him,” a Netflix spokesman told
HuffPost in a statement.
According to the newspaper, four women came forward in March 2017 accusing Masterson of sexual assault in the early 2000s. As a result, an investigation into “at least three alleged cases of rape or sodomy of women” was launched by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and has been ongoing for about a year, reported the
Daily News. He has denied the allegations and contested the women’s claims.
In response to Netflix’s decision, Masterson, 41, reiterated that he was innocent.
“I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision to write my character off of ‘The Ranch.’ From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit. I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one,” Masterson said in a statement obtained by
Daily News.
The Netflix’s dismissal comes a few weeks after one of the women, Chrissie Carnell Bixler, who made allegations against Masterson, spoke out about the streaming service’s decision for renewing the actor and promoting his show, according to the
Daily Beast.“I was sick when I read Netflix’s statement on continuing with “The Ranch” and continuing their working relationship with a man who has violently raped and abused so many women,” Bixler said in a statement last month.
The actor will still appear in new episodes of “The Ranch” that premier on Netflix on Dec. 15 as well as a number of episodes that have already been filmed for next season, reported HuffPost citing a source familiar with the show.
From NTD.tvPlease help support independent journalism by sharing this article with your friends and family. It takes less than a minute. Thank you!
