Danny Masterson
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Daniel Peter Masterson (born March 13, 1976) Most sources give birth date March 13, 1976. FilmReference.com gives March 3, 1976. is an American actor. He played the roles of Steven Hyde in ''
That '70s Show ''That '70s Show'' is an American television Period piece, period teen sitcom that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from August 23, 1998, to May 18, 2006. The series focuses on the lives of a group of six teenage friends living in the ficti ...
'' (1998–2006), Milo Foster in ''
Men at Work Men at Work are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1978 and best known for breakthrough hits such as "Down Under", "Who Can It Be Now?", "Be Good Johnny", " Overkill", and " It's a Mistake". Its founding member and frontman is Coli ...
'' (2012–2014) and Jameson "Rooster" Bennett in ''
The Ranch ''The Ranch'' is an American streaming television sitcom series. It starred Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson (who previously co-starred on ''That '70s Show'') as brothers Colt and Rooster Bennett, respectively; who help run the Colorado cattle ...
'' (2016–2018). On June 17, 2020, Masterson was arrested and charged with three counts of forcible rape, which he categorically denied. After a 2022 trial, the judge declared a mistrial after the jury was deadlocked on the charges.


Early life and family

Masterson was born in
Long Island, New York Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18th ...
, the son of Carol, a manager, and Peter Masterson, an insurance agent. He grew up in Garden City and East Williston, New York. He has a brother, actor
Christopher Masterson Christopher Kennedy Masterson (born January 22, 1980) is an American actor and disc jockey known best for his role as Malcolm's oldest brother Francis on the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle''. He is the younger brother of Danny Masterson, and ...
, who played
Francis Francis may refer to: People *Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Francis (surname) Places * Rural M ...
on ''
Malcolm in the Middle ''Malcolm in the Middle'' is an American family television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for Fox. The series premiered on January 9, 2000, and ended on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes. The series follows a dysfunctional ...
''. Their maternal half-siblings,
Jordan Masterson Jordan Masterson (born April 9, 1986) is an American actor. He played Zeb, a five-year-old boy, in Danielle Steel's 1993 TV adaptation ''Star''. He is perhaps best known for his role as Mark in the 2005 film ''The 40-Year-Old Virgin'' and his rec ...
and
Alanna Masterson Alanna Masterson (born June 27, 1988) is an American actress, known for her role as Tara Chambler in the AMC television series '' The Walking Dead''. Early life Masterson was born in New York City, to Carol Masterson and Joe Reaiche, a Leba ...
, are also actors. He also has a paternal half-brother, Will Masterson.


Career


Early years

Masterson was a child model from age four, and was featured in magazine articles as well as television commercials beginning at age five. Masterson starred in musicals at the age of eight, and began acting as well. His singing voice "disappeared" by the time he was a teenager. By the time he was 16, he had appeared in over 100 commercials, including ones for
Kellogg's The Kellogg Company, doing business as Kellogg's, is an American multinational food manufacturing company headquartered in Battle Creek, Michigan, United States. Kellogg's produces cereal and convenience foods, including crackers and toaste ...
Frosted Flakes Frosted Flakes or Frosties is a breakfast cereal, produced by the Kellogg Company and consisting of sugar-coated corn flakes. It was introduced in the United States, in 1952, as "Sugar Frosted Flakes". The word "sugar" was dropped from the name i ...
,
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, Hostess,
Tang Tang or TANG most often refers to: * Tang dynasty * Tang (drink mix) Tang or TANG may also refer to: Chinese states and dynasties * Jin (Chinese state) (11th century – 376 BC), a state during the Spring and Autumn period, called Tang (唐) b ...
, and
Clearasil Clearasil is a brand of skin care and acne medication, whose products contain chiefly benzoyl peroxide, sulfur and resorcinol, triclosan, or salicylic acid as active ingredients. Clearasil has a wide range of products both for rapid and sometimes ...
.


Acting career

In the early 1990s, Masterson had a role in ''
Beethoven's 2nd The Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36, is a symphony in four movements written by Ludwig van Beethoven between 1801 and 1802. The work is dedicated to Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky. Background Beethoven's Second Symphony was mostly written du ...
'', and starred as Justin in ''
Cybill ''Cybill'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre, which aired on CBS from January 2, 1995, to July 13, 1998. Starring Cybill Shepherd, the show revolves around the life of Cybill Sheridan, a twice-divorced single mother of tw ...
''. After starring in the third and fourth seasons of ''Cybill'', Masterson decided he wanted to move on and audition for a show originally titled ''Teenage Wasteland'', which later was changed to ''That '70s Show''. The original casting director for ''That '70s Show'', Debby Romano, resisted Masterson's audition because he was slightly older than the rest of the cast, but ultimately allowed him to audition. She stated that, "he came in and he was just so funny", and that he redefined where the role was going and made the role of Steven Hyde the, "tough, funny guy." Masterson starred in all eight seasons of ''
That '70s Show ''That '70s Show'' is an American television Period piece, period teen sitcom that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from August 23, 1998, to May 18, 2006. The series focuses on the lives of a group of six teenage friends living in the ficti ...
''. His role on ''That '70s Show'' launched Masterson's career, allowing him to pursue other endeavours between tapings. After the show concluded Masterson acted in several movies and made guest appearances on television shows including ''
Punk'd ''Punk'd'' is an American hidden camera–practical joke reality television series that first aired on MTV in 2003. It was created by Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg, with Kutcher serving as producer and host. It bears a resemblance to both the ...
'' and ''
MADtv ''Mad TV'' (stylized as ''MADtv'') is an American sketch comedy television series originally inspired by '' Mad'' magazine. In its initial run, it aired on Fox from 1995 to 2009. After a one-off reunion show in 2015 to celebrate the twentiet ...
''. Along with ''70's'' costars
Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a S ...
and
Wilmer Valderrama Wilmer Eduardo Valderrama ( , ; born January 30, 1980) is an American actor, producer, and television personality. He is known for his role as Fez in the sitcom ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006), Agustín Madrigal in ''Encanto'', and as Carlos ...
, he co-hosted the
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
TV special ''Woodstock 1999''. He had a role in the 2008 comedy '' Yes Man''. Masterson starred with his real-life wife,
Bijou Phillips Bijou Lilly Phillips Masterson (born April 1, 1980) is an American actress, model and singer. The daughter of musician John Phillips and Geneviève Waïte, she began her career as a model. Phillips made her singing debut with '' I'd Rather Ea ...
, in the 2009 drama ''
The Bridge to Nowhere ''The Bridge to Nowhere'' is an independent 2009 crime drama written by Christopher Gutierrez, directed by Blair Underwood in his directorial debut. Plot Kevin, Brian, Chris, Darick and Eddie are childhood friends from a working-class neighbor ...
''. In 2011, Masterson guest starred as James Roland in
USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madison ...
's '' White Collar'' (episode "Where There's A Will"). He portrayed
Jerry Rubin Jerry Clyde Rubin (July 14, 1938 – November 28, 1994) was an American social activist, anti-war leader, and counterculture icon during the 1960s and 1970s. During the 1980s, he became a successful businessman. He is known for being one of the ...
in the 2010 movie, ''
The Chicago 8 The Chicago Seven, originally the Chicago Eight and also known as the Conspiracy Eight or Conspiracy Seven, were seven defendants—Rennie Davis, David Dellinger, John Froines, Tom Hayden, Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, and Lee Weiner—charged ...
''. In 2012, the sitcom ''
Men At Work Men at Work are an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1978 and best known for breakthrough hits such as "Down Under", "Who Can It Be Now?", "Be Good Johnny", " Overkill", and " It's a Mistake". Its founding member and frontman is Coli ...
'' premiered on TBS, co-starring Masterson and Michael Cassidy,
James Lesure James Lesure (born September 21, 1970) is an American television actor, best known for roles on the NBC/The WB sitcom ''For Your Love'' (1998–2002), and NBC comedy-drama ''Las Vegas'' (2003–2008), '' Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce'' (2017–20 ...
and Adam Busch. In 2012, Masterson appeared in the film ''Alter Egos'', directed by
Jordan Galland Jordan Galland (born 1980) is an American filmmaker and musician based in New York City, and operates Slush Puppy Music, a record label, as well as his own film production company, Ravenous Films. Early life Born in Farmington, Connecticut, Ga ...
. Masterson starred alongside
Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...
,
Ashton Kutcher Christopher Ashton Kutcher (; born February 7, 1978) is an American actor, producer, entrepreneur, and former model. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a People's Choice Award, and nominations for two Young Artist Awards, a S ...
, and
Elisha Cuthbert Elisha Ann Cuthbert Phaneuf (; born 30 November 1982) is a Canadian actress and model. As a Child actor, child actress, she made her first televised appearance as an extra in the Canadian horror-themed series for children ''Are You Afraid of the ...
in the
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
comedy series ''
The Ranch ''The Ranch'' is an American streaming television sitcom series. It starred Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson (who previously co-starred on ''That '70s Show'') as brothers Colt and Rooster Bennett, respectively; who help run the Colorado cattle ...
'' from 2016 to 2018. His character was written out of the series in the middle of filming the third 20-episode season due to his
rape Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without their consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or ag ...
and assault allegations.


Other ventures

Masterson began
DJing A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio Music radio is a radio format in which music is the main broadcast con ...
at Los Angeles night clubs in 1997 as a hobby, under the name DJ Donkey Punch, but it soon became a side business. After
Donkey Punch Donkey punch is the sexual practice of inflicting blunt force trauma to the back of the head or lower back of the receiving partner during anal or vaginal sex as an attempt by the penetrating partner to induce involuntary tightening of internal o ...
, he changed his name to DJ Donkey
Pizzle Pizzle is a Middle English word for penis, derived from Low German or Flemish Dutch , diminutive of , meaning 'sinew'. The word is used today to signify the penis of an animal, chiefly in Australia and New Zealand. Original uses The word ''piz ...
, then DJ
Mom Jeans Mom jeans is an informal term for high-waisted women's jeans that were first fashionable in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the late 1990s and 2000s they were mainly worn by adult American women and considered "old" by younger women. High ...
by 2010. Masterson is a self-described "
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
and hip hop fanatic", and is also a fan of
indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...
, electro, and
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
music, all of which he primarily DJs with. For a time, Masterson owned a lounge and bar in
Park City, Utah Park City is a city in Utah, United States. The vast majority is in Summit County, and it extends into Wasatch County. It is considered to be part of the Wasatch Back. The city is southeast of downtown Salt Lake City and from Salt Lake City' ...
, called Downstairs. He appeared as part of a poker team, the Unabombers, in the 2005 GSN series ''The James Woods Gang vs. The Unabombers''. He has hosted celebrity poker events, such as the Phat Farm Stuff Casino Weekend Poker Tournament, in which he won the tournament.


Personal life

Masterson is a
Scientologist Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It has been variously defined as a cult, a Scientology as a business, business, or a new religious movement. The most recent ...
. He started dating
Bijou Phillips Bijou Lilly Phillips Masterson (born April 1, 1980) is an American actress, model and singer. The daughter of musician John Phillips and Geneviève Waïte, she began her career as a model. Phillips made her singing debut with '' I'd Rather Ea ...
in 2004, they became engaged in 2009, and married on October 18, 2011. They have one daughter who was born in February 2014.


Sexual assault allegations and criminal trial

In March 2017, three women filed sexual assault allegations against Masterson, prompting a
Los Angeles Police Department The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-large ...
investigation. Masterson, through his agent, has denied the allegations. In response to the accusations,
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
fired Masterson from its comedy series ''
The Ranch ''The Ranch'' is an American streaming television sitcom series. It starred Ashton Kutcher and Danny Masterson (who previously co-starred on ''That '70s Show'') as brothers Colt and Rooster Bennett, respectively; who help run the Colorado cattle ...
'' on December 5, 2017, saying in a statement, "Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him." Masterson stated that he is "obviously very disappointed in Netflix's decision to write my character off of ''The Ranch''." A fifth woman who dated Masterson made similar rape accusations in December 2017. He was dropped as a client by
United Talent Agency United Talent Agency (UTA) is a global talent agency based in Beverly Hills, California. Established in 1991, it represents artists and other professionals across the entertainment industry. , the company has more than 1,400 global employees. U ...
. A planned 2019 episode of Leah Remini's show ''
Aftermath Aftermath may refer to: Companies * Aftermath (comics), an imprint of Devil's Due Publishing * Aftermath Entertainment, an American record label founded by Dr. Dre * Aftermath Media, an American multimedia company * Aftermath Services, an Americ ...
'', focusing on the Masterson rape allegations, was delayed due to what one of Masterson's accusers characterized as pressure from the
Church of Scientology The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a scientology as a business, bu ...
. The episode eventually aired on August 27, 2019.
Cedric Bixler-Zavala Cedric Bixler-Zavala (born November 4, 1974) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of the progressive rock band The Mars Volta and the only constant member of the post-hardcore group At the Drive-In, for which ...
, singer for the bands
The Mars Volta The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band's only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), whose partnership forms ...
and
At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...
, alleged that Masterson sexually assaulted his wife, and stated At the Drive-In's song "Incurably Innocent" (from the 2017 album ''
In•ter a•li•a ''in•ter a•li•a'' is the fourth studio album by At the Drive-In, released on May 5, 2017. It is their first studio album in 17 years since ''Relationship of Command'', and their first release since the 2005 compilation album ''This Station I ...
'') is about the incident. In August 2019, four women filed a lawsuit against Masterson and the Church of Scientology for
stalking Stalking is unwanted and/or repeated surveillance by an individual or group toward another person. Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The ter ...
and harassment, stemming from their rape allegations. One plaintiff claimed her dog died from (unexplained) traumatic injuries to its trachea and esophagus, also alleging that church members chased her as she drove her car, filmed her without permission, harassed her online and posted ads to social media sites soliciting sex in her name. Another plaintiff stated that she and her neighbors observed a man snapping pictures from her driveway and later that night someone broke a window in her 13-year-old daughter's bedroom. Such stalking and harassment claims are indicative of a Scientology policy titled Fair Game, which the Church claims was cancelled by
L. Ron Hubbard Lafayette Ronald Hubbard (March 13, 1911 – January 24, 1986) was an American author, primarily of science fiction and fantasy stories, who is best known for having founded the Church of Scientology. In 1950, Hubbard authored '' Dianeti ...
in 1968, yet the plaintiffs' lawyers claim it continues still against any detractors and ex–church members, through 'outsourcing' to private investigators and off-duty police officers. Masterson has since responded to one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, claiming: "I'm not going to fight my ex-girlfriend in the media like she's been baiting me to do for more than two years. I will beat her in court—and look forward to it because the public will finally be able to learn the truth and see how I've been railroaded by this woman... and once her lawsuit is thrown out, I intend to sue her and the others who jumped on the bandwagon for the damage they caused me and my family." He did not address the stalking or harassment claims. On January 22, 2020, Bixler-Zavala reported that a second of his family pets had to be put down due to being fed rat poison wrapped inside a rolled-up piece of raw meat, alleging this was done by Scientologists in response to his repeated public statements alleging Masterson raped his wife (who was one of the four women who filed suit against Masterson). Masterson has yet to directly respond to any of Bixler-Zavala's claims or his prior allegations made; the closest acknowledgment being Masterson's wife
Bijou Phillips Bijou Lilly Phillips Masterson (born April 1, 1980) is an American actress, model and singer. The daughter of musician John Phillips and Geneviève Waïte, she began her career as a model. Phillips made her singing debut with '' I'd Rather Ea ...
making an Instagram post mocking court papers against Masterson. On June 17, 2020, Masterson was charged with raping a 23-year-old woman in 2001, a 28-year-old woman in early 2003, and a 23-year-old woman in late 2003. The three counts came after a three-year investigation beginning in 2017. If convicted, Masterson faces up to 45 years in prison. On January 21, 2021, Masterson pleaded not guilty. A four-day preliminary hearing began on May 18, 2021. On May 21, 2021, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo said that she "found all three witnesses to be credible and the evidence presented during a preliminary hearing sufficient to support the charges." She ordered that Masterson be bound over for trial on three counts of rape by force or fear and that he surrender his passport at his next arraignment, which is set for June 7, 2021. On June 7, 2021, Masterson pleaded not guilty to rape accusations alleged to have occurred between 2001 and 2003. His defense attorney accused the three women of colluding against Masterson, claiming that they were in contact with each other and sued him in
arbitration Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that resolves disputes outside the judiciary courts. The dispute will be decided by one or more persons (the 'arbitrators', 'arbiters' or 'arbitral tribunal'), which renders the ' ...
. His defense attorney also stated that one of the
Jane Doe John Doe (male) and Jane Doe (female) are multiple-use placeholder names that are used when the true name of a person is unknown or is being intentionally concealed. In the context of law enforcement in the United States, such names are ofte ...
s had obtained money from Masterson in 2004. After the June 7th arraignment, Masterson remained free on a $3.3 million bail. A pretrial hearing was set for August 9, 2021. During the pretrial hearing on August 9, 2021, Judge Olmedo rejected Masterson's subpoena for LAPD records related to
David Miscavige David Miscavige (; born April 30, 1960) is the leader of the Church of Scientology and, according to the organization, "Captain of the Sea Org". His official title within the organization is Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Cent ...
,
Shelly Miscavige Michele Diane Miscavige (née Barnett; born January 18, 1961) is a member of the Church of Scientology, married to Scientology leader David Miscavige. She was last seen in public in August 2007. Since her withdrawal from public appearances, she ...
, and Leah Remini's
TV show A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...
. The defense filed a motion to dismiss the case based on a lack of evidence presented during the May preliminary hearing, prompting Judge Olmedo to send a motion that this request be heard before another judge on November 10, 2021. The motion was unsuccessful, with a criminal trial being set for August 29, 2022. The August 29 trial date was subsequently rescheduled for October 11, 2022, at the request of Masterson's lawyers. Near the end of the month-long trial, Masterson decided not to testify nor call witnesses in his defense. Both parties rested their cases on November 14, 2022, and made their closing arguments the following day. The jury deadlocked after three days in deliberation; instead of declaring a mistrial, the judge ordered to resume deliberations the week after Thanksgiving. The jury remained deadlocked once deliberations resumed; consequently, a mistrial was declared on November 30, 2022. A new trial was set for March 2023.


Filmography


Film


Television


Music videos


Producer


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Masterson, Danny 1976 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American DJs American male child actors American male film actors American male television actors American male voice actors American Scientologists Male actors from New York (state) Masterson family People charged with rape People from East Williston, New York People from Garden City, New York