In the years following the MeToo movement, there have been an increasing number of celebrity scandals involving allegations of sexual assault. And one of Hollywood’s most scandalous tales centers on That ’70s Show alum Danny Masterson.
Masterson gained notoriety as a supporting character in TV comedies, but his acting career has taken a nosedive since he was accused of many rapes. His future is uncertain as his criminal trial is slated to start this fall.
Is Danny Masterson Being Held In Jail For His Trial?
As a likable TV figure, the actor gained popularity. At a young age, Danny Masterson started his career in entertainment. He began modeling at age 4 and had his stage debut at age 8. Commercials were his main source of employment. The redhead with curly hair had appeared in over 100 commercials by the time he was 16 for products like Frosted Flakes, Clorox, Hardee’s, Clearasil, and Volkswagen.
He made his professional acting debut in 1988’s Jake and the Fatman before appearing in supporting roles in Beethoven’s Second, Face/Off, and The Faculty as well as Roseanne, NYPD Blue, Party of Five, and other TV shows. Although he appeared in every episode of the first series of That ’70s Show, his most notable performance was as Steven Hyde, for which he won a Teen Choice Award for TV Choice Sidekick in 2000. Masterson owned multiple restaurants and maintained a side DJ company. Danny Masterson might go to jail as a result of rape allegations.
Who is Danny Masterson?
Daniel Peter Masterson, an American actor, and DJ was born on March 13, 1976. In That ’70s Show (1998–2006), Men at Work (2012–2014), and The Ranch, Masterson portrayed Steven Hyde, Milo Foster, and Jameson “Rooster” Bennett, respectively (2016–2018).
Is Danny Masterson Incarcerated?
On September 18, 2020, Danny Masterson is charged with three counts of rape in Los Angeles Superior Court. AFP and Lucy Nicholson via Getty Images. The claims of terrible crimes against Danny Masterson stand in stark contrast to his reputation as a comic performer.
The actor was accused of raping three women in June 2020 following a three-year investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department: a 23-year-old between January and December 2001, a 28-year-old in April 2003, and another 23-year-old between October and December 2003. If Masterson is found guilty, a California prison could sentence him to a maximum of 45 years to life.
A court decided there was sufficient evidence following a preliminary hearing where the three women spoke, and the matter will go to trial in the summer of 2021. Masterson has steadfastly maintained his innocence, and his legal team has tried a number of strategies to postpone the trial without success. Since June 2021, Masterson has been free on a $3.3 million bail.
He made an effort to have all the charges dropped in February of last year. According to the Los Angeles Times, the application was denied, and Masterson’s trial is scheduled to start on October 11. The industry has abandoned the actor while the judicial system deals with Masterson.
Showrunners of the Netflix series The Ranch fired him after the allegations were public in 2017; he had been a regular there. He will also be conspicuously missing from the upcoming spinoff That ’90s Show, which will feature several stars from That ’70s Show as guests or supporting actors.
Danny Masterson’s wife ran into the firing line. Bijou Phillips, the actor’s wife, has supported him. Phillips has been “a total rock” for Masterson over the past couple of years despite the fact that she hasn’t publicly discussed the issue. According to an unnamed insider who spoke to Us Weekly in January, “She wholeheartedly supports him and says they’ll get through this horror together and come out stronger.”
The couple, who are members of the contentious Church of Scientology, have been married since 2011. They also have a young child. The church that supports the divisive faith is also accused of meddling in the proceedings. In 2019, four women filed a lawsuit against David Miscavige, Masterson, and the Church of Scientology for continually harassing them after they reported their claims to the police.
One of the ladies mentioned in the case, Chrissie Carnell Bixler, said that the church poisoned both of her dogs to kill them and scare her. According to a January 2021 decision by an appeals court, Masterson’s accusers do not have to present their claims to a religious arbitration panel run by the Church of Scientology.