Daniel Peter Masterson is an American actor known for his roles in 'That '70s Show,' 'Men at Work,' and 'The Ranch.' In May 2023, he was convicted of raping two women in 2003, with a third count resulting in a hung jury. He was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison in September 2023. Masterson, a Scientologist, had his crimes delayed in prosecution due to the Church of Scientology's attempts to silence the victims and interfere with the legal process.
March 13, 1976: Birth of Danny Masterson
Danny Masterson was born on March 13, 1976. He would go on to become an American actor known for roles in popular TV shows such as That '70s Show.
1997: Started DJing
In 1997, Danny Masterson began DJing at Los Angeles night clubs as a hobby, which soon became a side business.
1998: Role in That '70s Show Begins
In 1998, Danny Masterson began his role as Steven Hyde in That '70s Show, a role that would later define his career.
1999: Woodstock 1999
In 1999, Danny Masterson co-hosted the Fox TV special Woodstock 1999 with his That '70s Show co-stars Ashton Kutcher and Wilmer Valderrama.
2001: Rape of 23-Year-Old Woman
In 2001, Danny Masterson raped a 23-year-old woman, one of the charges that led to his 2020 indictment.
2001: Rape of 23-Year-Old Woman
In 2001, Danny Masterson raped a 23-year-old woman, one of the charges that led to his 2020 indictment.
2003: Year of the Crimes
In 2003, Danny Masterson committed the crimes for which he was later convicted in 2023.
2003: Rape of Two Women
In 2003, Danny Masterson raped two women, charges for which he was later indicted in 2020.
2003: Rape of Two Women
In 2003, Danny Masterson raped two women, charges for which he was later indicted in 2020.
2004: Started Dating Bijou Phillips
In 2004, Danny Masterson started dating actress Bijou Phillips. They would later get engaged in 2009 and married in 2011.
2004: Jane Doe Obtained Money
In 2004, one of the Jane Does obtained money from Danny Masterson, which his defense attorney claimed during the 2021 arraignment.
2005: Appeared on Poker Team
In 2005, Danny Masterson appeared as part of a poker team, the Unabombers, in the GSN series The James Woods Gang vs. The Unabombers.
2006: End of That '70s Show
In 2006, That '70s Show ended, concluding Danny Masterson's eight-season run as Steven Hyde.
2008: Role in Yes Man
In 2008, Danny Masterson had a role in the comedy movie Yes Man.
2009: Engagement to Bijou Phillips
In 2009, Danny Masterson became engaged to actress Bijou Phillips.
2009: Starred in The Bridge to Nowhere
In 2009, Danny Masterson starred alongside his future wife, Bijou Phillips, in the drama The Bridge to Nowhere.
2010: Name Change to DJ Mom Jeans
By 2010, Danny Masterson had changed his DJ name to DJ Mom Jeans, reflecting his ongoing passion for music.
2010: Role in The Chicago 8
In 2010, Danny Masterson portrayed Jerry Rubin in the movie The Chicago 8.
October 18, 2011: Marriage to Bijou Phillips
On October 18, 2011, Danny Masterson married actress Bijou Phillips. The couple had been engaged since 2009.
2011: Guest Starred in White Collar
In 2011, Danny Masterson guest-starred as James Roland in USA Network's White Collar in the episode 'Where There's A Will'.
2012: Premier of Men at Work and Alter Egos
In 2012, the sitcom Men at Work premiered on TBS, co-starring Danny Masterson, and he also appeared in the film Alter Egos directed by Jordan Galland.
2012: Men at Work Premieres
In 2012, the sitcom Men at Work premiered on TBS, co-starring Danny Masterson.
February 2014: Birth of Daughter
In February 2014, Danny Masterson and Bijou Phillips welcomed their daughter.
2014: End of Men at Work
In 2014, the sitcom Men at Work, co-starring Danny Masterson, concluded.
2016: The Ranch Premieres
In 2016, Danny Masterson starred alongside Sam Elliott, Ashton Kutcher, and Elisha Cuthbert in the Netflix comedy series The Ranch.
March 2017: Sexual Assault Allegations Filed
In March 2017, three women filed sexual assault allegations against Danny Masterson, prompting an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department.
November 2017: Accusations by Cedric Bixler-Zavala
In November 2017, musician Cedric Bixler-Zavala accused Danny Masterson of sexually assaulting his wife Chrissie Carnell. The song 'Incurably Innocent' by At the Drive-In is about the incident.
December 2017: Fired by Netflix
In December 2017, Danny Masterson was fired from Netflix’s comedy series The Ranch after a fourth victim's accusations.
2017: Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath Episode Filmed
In early 2017, an episode of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath focusing on the sexual-assault allegations against Danny Masterson was filmed.
2017: Investigation Begins
In 2017, an investigation began into the sexual assault allegations against Danny Masterson, leading to his 2020 indictment.
2018: Dropped by United Talent Agency
In 2018, Danny Masterson was dropped as a client by United Talent Agency following a series of sexual assault allegations.
2018: End of Role in The Ranch
In 2018, Danny Masterson's character was written out of The Ranch following rape and assault allegations.
August 26, 2019: Airing of 'Waiting for Justice'
On August 26, 2019, the episode 'Waiting for Justice' of Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath aired, covering the sexual-assault allegations against Danny Masterson.
January 22, 2020: Allegations of Pet Poisoning
On January 22, 2020, Cedric Bixler-Zavala alleged that Scientologists poisoned his pets in retaliation for his public statements against Danny Masterson.
June 17, 2020: Charged with Rape
On June 17, 2020, Danny Masterson was charged with raping three women after a three-year investigation.
January 21, 2021: Plea of Not Guilty
On January 21, 2021, Danny Masterson pleaded not guilty to rape charges.
May 18, 2021: Preliminary Hearing Begins
On May 18, 2021, a four-day preliminary hearing began for the rape charges against Danny Masterson.
May 21, 2021: Judge Rules Evidence Sufficient
On May 21, 2021, Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo ruled that the evidence was sufficient to support rape charges against Danny Masterson.
June 7, 2021: Ordered to Surrender Passport
On June 7, 2021, Danny Masterson was ordered to surrender his passport at his arraignment for three counts of rape.
August 9, 2021: Pretrial Hearing Set
On August 9, 2021, a pretrial hearing was set for the rape charges against Danny Masterson.
November 10, 2021: Judge Ronald S. Coen Rules Testimony Credible
On November 10, 2021, Los Angeles County Judge Ronald S. Coen ruled that the testimony of the alleged victims in Danny Masterson's case was credible and sufficient to support the charges. This decision set the trial for August 29, 2022, in Judge Olmedo's courtroom.
August 29, 2022: Trial Date Set
The trial of Danny Masterson was set to begin on August 29, 2022, in Judge Olmedo's courtroom following Judge Ronald S. Coen's ruling on November 10, 2021, that the testimony of the alleged victims was credible and sufficient to support the charges.
October 11, 2022: Trial Rescheduled
The trial date of Danny Masterson was rescheduled to October 11, 2022, at the request of his lawyers.
November 14, 2022: Defense Rests Case
On November 14, 2022, Danny Masterson decided not to testify nor call witnesses in his defense during his trial. Both parties rested their cases.
November 30, 2022: Mistrial Declared
A mistrial was declared on November 30, 2022, in Danny Masterson's case after the jury remained deadlocked. The jury foreman noted that the testimonies of the complainants were inconsistent and implausible, leading to a deadlock.
May 2023: Conviction of Danny Masterson
In May 2023, Danny Masterson was convicted of raping two women in 2003. A third count of rape resulted in a hung jury.
May 2023: Conviction of Two Counts of Forcible Rape
In May 2023, Danny Masterson was convicted of two out of three counts of forcible rape after a new trial. The jury was hung 8-4 in favor of conviction on the third charge. Masterson was remanded without bail until sentencing and held in administrative segregation for his safety at Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles as of June 2.
June 7, 2023: Defense Attorneys Sanctioned
On June 7, 2023, Judge Olmedo sanctioned Danny Masterson's earlier defense attorneys, Tom Mesereau and Sharon Appelbaum, for leaking confidential discovery material from the criminal case. This information was used to file complaints and request criminal inquiries, violating repeated directives to refrain from providing criminal discovery to litigants and attorneys in the civil case.
July 2023: Prosecutors Announce No Retrial
In July 2023, prosecutors announced that they would not retry Danny Masterson on the charge which had resulted in a hung jury.
September 7, 2023: Sentenced to 30 Years to Life
On September 7, 2023, Danny Masterson was sentenced to an indefinite period of 30 years to life in prison. He might be eligible for parole after serving 25½ years, but he can be held in prison for life. His lawyers plan to appeal the conviction.
September 2023: Sentencing of Danny Masterson
In September 2023, Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for the rape convictions.
September 18, 2023: Bijou Phillips Filed for Divorce
On September 18, 2023, Bijou Phillips filed for divorce from Danny Masterson, citing irreconcilable differences and requesting full legal and physical custody of their child, as well as spousal support.
December 27, 2023: Transfer to North Kern State Prison
On December 27, 2023, Danny Masterson was admitted to North Kern State Prison after months of post-sentencing hearings. He was subsequently moved to California Men's Colony where he now resides.
January 2024: Bail Denied Pending Appeal
In January 2024, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge denied bail for Danny Masterson pending an appeal. Concerns were raised that Masterson could flee, given his lengthy sentence and ongoing divorce proceedings.