Danny Masterson ‘Disappointed’ Netflix Dropped Him From ‘The Ranch’ Amid Rape Accusations

“From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me,” actor says

Danny Masterson
Anna Webber/Getty Images for Netflix

Danny Masterson is firing back at Netflix after the streaming service announced it was dropping the actor from its series “The Ranch” following rape accusations made against him more than a decade ago.

“I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix’s decision to write my character off of ‘The Ranch,’” Masterson said in a statement to TheWrap. “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. In this country, you are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

The actor continued, “However, in the current climate, it seems as if you are presumed guilty the moment you are accused. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all. In the meantime, I want to express my gratitude to the cast and crew that I’ve worked so closely with over the past three seasons. I wish them nothing but success. I am also so thankful to the fans that have supported me and continue to do so.”

Masterson was on the set of the Ashton Kutcher family comedy on Monday; the show is now on a production hiatus until early 2018.

“As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of ‘The Ranch,’” a Netflix spokesperson told TheWrap on Tuesday. “Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him.”

Season 4 of “The Ranch,” premiering on December 15, will feature Masterson. He’ll also be in some Season 5 episodes next year, though a network spokesperson did not have an exact count on how many of that batch will feature the “That ’70s Show” alum.

In March, three women told the Los Angeles Police Department that they were sexually assaulted by Masterson in the early 2000s.

The accusers said they came into contact with Masterson through the Church of Scientology, and were pressured into keeping the allegations quiet by the Church, according to a report from Tony Ortega, a journalist who runs an anti-Scientology website called The Underground Bunker.

A fourth accuser came forward later, though by then the LAPD investigation into Masterson had “stalled,” per Huffington Post reporter Yashar Ali. The cops would not approve that complaint, Ali wrote.

Actress and former Scientologist Leah Remini suggested the falling apart of the police probe could have something to do with the Church’s regular donations to local law enforcement.

Masterson has denied the rape charges, having previously called the accounts “false allegations.”

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