Was That ’70s Show Removed From Netflix Because Of Danny Masterson?
Netflix angered fans years ago when they decided to remove That '70s Show.
To this day, That ’70s Show remains one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. This nostalgic 90s show focused on the lives and adventures of six teenage friends living in Point Place, Wisconsin, during the 70s. The main cast included young actors such as Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Laura Prepon, and Wilmer Valderrama, and adult cast members such as Debra Jo Rupp, Kurtwood Smith, Don Stark, Tommy Chong, and Tanya Roberts.
While many of these young stars would see their career significantly improve after starring on That 70s Show, other cast members didn’t have the same luck. A couple of years ago, Danny Masterson, who played Steven Hyde throughout the show’s eight seasons, was arrested on charges of assault. Now, fans wonder if he is the reason why That 70s Show was removed from Netflix not too long ago.
Who Was Danny Masterson Before That 70s Show?
Unlike some of his That 70s Show co-stars, who hadn’t had a professional acting gig before being cast on the show, Danny Masterson began his career at a very young age. He started working as a child model when he was only four years old. By the time he was five, he had begun working as an actor and model for magazine ads and television commercials.
In fact, by the time he was 16, he had appeared in more than 100 commercials. Moreover, Masterson started acting at a young age, starring in several musicals since he was eight.
During the 90s, Masterson gained some popularity after landing a small role in the children’s movie Beethoven’s 2nd and the role of Justin in Chuck Lorre’s sitcom Cybill. After appearing in the third and fourth seasons of this popular sitcom, Masterson decided to audition for a show originally titled Teenage Wasteland, which would later become That 70s Show.
At first, casting director Debby Romano wasn’t sure about Masteron because he was older than the rest of the actors auditioning for the role. Luckily, Romano decided to give him a chance and she didn’t regret it. Danny Masteron got cast as Hyde in That 70s Show because his first audition was hilarious, plus he was able to give a new take on the character, which proved to be just what the show needed.
Masterson would go on to portray Hyde in all eight seasons of That 70s Show. After the show came to an end in 2006, Masterson, like his young co-stars, saw his career take a turn for the best. He was able to pursue many other projects, from movies to guest appearances on shows such as Punk’d and MADtv.
Danny Masterson’s Career Took A Turn Of The Worst After He Was Involved In A Controversial Sexual Assault Case
Since That 70s Show came to an end back in 2006, Danny Masterson managed to continue a successful acting career. According to IMDb, Masterson has 68 acting credits under his belt, including movies such as The Bridge to Nowhere and The Chicago 8.
In 2016, Masterson starred in Netflix’s sitcom The Ranch alongside Sam Elliott, his That 70s Show co-star Ashton Kutcher, and Elisha Cuthbert. However, in 2017 his character was written out of the series after Masterson was involved in a scandal due to rape and assault allegations from three women against the actor.
Two years after the first allegations were made, four women filed a lawsuit against Masterson and the Church of Scientology, which the actor is a member of, for stalking and harassment after they reported the actor for rape.
In 2020, Danny Masterson was arrested and charged with three counts of rape, which happened between 2001 and 2003. Since then, the actor has been dealing with court proceedings. If convicted, the That 70s Show star could face 45 years to a life sentence in state prison. As of today, a new trial has been set for March 2023 and the actor remains free after paying a $3.3 million bail.
The sexual assault allegations and former trial have greatly affected Danny Masterson’s net worth. Moreover, the actor has seen his career take a turn for the worst since 2017. His last project was The Ranch, from which he was abruptly fired once the first allegations against him were made known to the public. In addition to this, Masterson is the only original cast member not to return for Netflix’s reboot titled That 90s Show.
Is Danny Masterson The Reason Why That 70s Show Was Removed From Netflix?
In 2020, That 70s Show was abruptly removed from Netflix’s streaming platform. Many users believed that the show was removed due to the recent scandal surrounding Danny Masterson.
But, ultimately, that wasn’t the case. Netflix had to remove That 70s Show from all its streaming platforms across the world back in 2020 because that was the established date on its licensing deal, which Netflix wasn’t able to renew in time.
Although That 70s Show disappeared from Netflix, fans can now enjoy Netflix’s original sequel series That 90s Show, which stars many of the original cast members, including Topher Grace, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher, and Laura Prepon!
