Danny Masterson Dropped from Talent Agency UTA amid Rape Allegations

NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 07: Danny Masterson speaks during a Launch Event for Netflix 'The Ran
Anna Webber/Getty Images for Netflix

Actor Danny Masterson has been dropped by talent agency UTA amid allegations that he sexually assaulted several women in the early 2000s.

United Talent Agency confirmed Friday that it no longer represented the 41-year-old former That 70s Show star, though Deadline reports that the professional relationship may have ended some time ago.

Masterson was fired from his current Netflix series The Ranch in December, after allegations of rape from four women in the early 2000s resurfaced as part of the ongoing #MeToo movement, in which numerous women have come forward to share their experiences with sexual abuse or misconduct.

Three of the women accusing Masterson of assault were reportedly fellow members of the Church of Scientology, and have accused the church of covering up the actor’s alleged attacks. Late last month, a fifth woman — actress Bobette Riales — claimed Masterson “repeatedly” raped her, but did not go into detail about the alleged assaults.

Masterson has reportedly been under LAPD investigation for much of the past year. The actor has vehemently denied the claims.

“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,” he told TMZ in a statement last month.

“I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one,” he added. “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.”

Masterson wasn’t the only Netflix employee to lose his job. Former Netflix director of global children’s content Andy Yeatman was let go from the company in December after reportedly telling one of Masterson’s accusers at a youth soccer match that Netflix executives didn’t believe the claims.

Masterson will reportedly appear in at least several more episodes of The Ranch slated to be released later this year as they had already been filmed, though Netflix confirmed his character was written out of the show.

 

Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum

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