‘ The Ranch’ actor fi red amid rape accusations
Netflix has fired actor Danny Masterson from the show “The Ranch” amid allegations by women that he raped them years ago.
“Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of ‘The Ranch,”’ the streaming service said in a statement Tuesday. “Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him.”
Masterson will appear in the already filmed fourth part of the series, scheduled for release Dec. 15, and in some episodes to premiere next year.
The news comes as Masterson continues to face allegations from four women stemming from the early 2000s. A lengthy Los Angeles Police Department investigation into their accusations appears to have stalled, according to HuffPost, and authorities have not filed charges.
In a statement, Masterson denied the accusations, which he described as “outrageous.”
“Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit,” he said. “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.”
“The Ranch” is a comedy about a failed professional athlete, played by Ashton Kutcher, who returns home to help his father and his brother, played by Masterson, on their ranch.
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