Within the past 48 hours, Netflix dismissed actor Danny Masterson from the Netflix original The Ranch, in which he starred along side That 70’s Show co-star Ashton Kutcher. The dismissal and his character’s write off from the show come from recent rape allegation made against Masterson. In response to the allegations and to his dismissal from the show, Masterson said in a statement to CNN that he is “obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision to write his 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,” Masterson continued in his statement. “I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty. However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused.”
Netflix has been quick to act when it comes to rape or sexual harassment allegations made against its actors, starting with the dismissal of Kevin Spacey from House of Cards and now Masterson. Masterson is interesting to the Salt Lake and Park City areas because of his ownership of the lounge, bar and performance space Downstairs. Located on Main Street in Park City, Downstairs incorporates a contemporary and comfortable atmosphere, much unlike the Western motif that is popular in Park City. The bar and lounge houses national musicians, bands, DJs and celebrity acts on a weekly basis to create an intimate and unique space for costumers. We will see how Masterson’s rape allegations affect the unique Park City business within the coming weeks.
