Netflix features a reboot of the hit That ‘70s Show with a spin-off series titled That ‘90s Show. The cast will finally reunite, but Danny Masterson won’t reprise his role as Steven Hyde due to an ongoing criminal case. The actor was charged with forcibly raping three women in the early 2000s.
The said incident took place in separate events between 2001 and 2003. Masterson pleaded not guilty to all charges when he stood in trial. In December 2022, they announced that it was a mistrial after the jury could not reach a unanimous decision.
Danny Masterson Is NOT Coming Back To That ‘90s Show Due To Sexual Abuse Allegations
Steven Hyde was one of the main characters in the original series, but there has been no mention of his absence in the new show. Even Masterson’s co-stars did not comment about the actor’s dismissal from the show.
In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Topher Grace was asked about his co-star’s controversy:
“You know, I hesitate to say that I never saw any of that behavior because I feel like it sounds like I’m defending him, but the truth is I never saw any of that stuff.”
Netflix has not addressed the issue as well, but when Masterson was fired from The Ranch in 2017, the streaming company tweeted:
“After discussing with the producers, we’ve decided to write Danny Masterson off of The Ranch. Yesterday was his last day of work, and we’ll make new episodes in 2018 without him.”
Masterson expressed his disappointment with Netflix for dismissing him from the show, and claimed that he is innocent from day one (via People):
“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.”
The actor also expressed his sentiment about the concept of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, and that in this country, one is usually presumed guilty the minute they are accused. He, later on, extended his gratitude towards the cast and crew that he worked with over the past years and the fans who continue to support him.
Netflix’s That ‘90s Show Sees The Return Of Beloved Cast
That ‘90s Show premiered on January 19, and the first episode showed what the characters have been up to since the finale of That ‘70s Show. Many of the stars from the original series made guest appearances.
The synopsis of the series reads: In the summer of 1995, Leia Forman makes friends with a new generation of Point Place kids while visiting her grandparents, Red and Kitty, in Wisconsin.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, People
RELATED: Popular Celebs Other Than Tom Cruise Who Are Involved With Scientology
