Danny Masterson sentenced: Who is he, and what happened?

It’s been six years since rape allegations originally emerged about actor Danny Masterson, and on Friday a Los Angeles judge sentenced the former That ‘70s Show star to 30 years to life in prison.

From the initial allegations in 2017 and his Scientology connection, to blowing kisses in court, here’s everything you need to know about what went down with the character 1990s kids knew as Steven Hyde.

Who exactly is Danny Masterson?

Masterson, 47, had his acting break in the hit series That ‘70s Show, which aired from 1998 to 2006. In the TV hit about a group of teenage friends growing up in the 1970s, he played the role of Eric Forman’s best friend.

Other acting work included the 2012 sitcom Men at Work. He had reunited with Kutcher on the 2016 Netflix comedy The Ranch, but was written out of the show after the allegations came to light.

According to The Wrap, he also had a stint as a DJ in the late 1990s, under an offensive DJ name that he later changed to DJ Mom Jeans. The offensive name was a slang term used for a violent sexual act, and also later used by Enron traders in the US to describe a price gouging method used in the 90s and early 2000s.

Chris Pizzello/AP

Danny Masterson, right, and his wife Bijou Phillips arriving during the second trial in May.

What exactly did he get sentenced for?

Masterson was sentenced on Friday by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F Olmedo after being found guilty of raping two women two decades ago.

Both attacks took place in Masterson’s home in the Hollywood-area in 2003.

He was found guilty on the two rape counts after seven days of deliberation in the May trial.

The jury could not reach a verdict on a third count, an allegation that he also raped a longtime girlfriend.

When did the allegations come about?

Masterson was first accused of raping women in his LA home between 2001 and 2003 in 2017. He was arrested in 2020.

One of Masterson’s accusers reportedly filed a police report with Los Angeles police in 2004 saying she was raped the year prior. She claimed at the time that Masterson raped her while she was passed out.

There were also claims made in the trial that Masterson had drugged the women.

Masterson was not charged with any counts of drugging, and there was no toxicology evidence to back up the assertion. The issue could be a factor in a planned appeal from the defence of Masterson’s conviction, AP reported.

Wade Payne/AP

The actor was sentenced to 30 years to life on Friday (NZ time).

At the time, the Church of Scientology submitted more than 50 affidavits from Scientologists who denied the woman’s rape claim.

The investigation began in 2016, and was referred to the district attorney in March 2017.

What’s his connection to Scientology?

Masterson is famously a member of the Church of Scientology, and all three accusers previously were, also.

While all three women involved in the case have since left, they blamed the church for their hesitancy in going to the police. During testimony, they said they were warned by Scientology officials against going to the police to report such a high-standing member.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed Masterson used his standing in the church to avoid consequences for decades following the assaults.

Masterson always denied any claims made against him, and said the accusations were a smear campaign against Scientology.

The church said in a statement after the verdict in May that the “testimony and descriptions of Scientology beliefs” during the trial were “uniformly false”.

“The church has no policy prohibiting or discouraging members from reporting criminal conduct of anyone – Scientologists or not – to law enforcement,” the statement said.

Lucy NIcholson/Getty Images

Danny Masterson with his lawyer Thomas Mesereau in 2020.

When did he actually go to court?

Masterson was arrested in 2020, and his first trial began in October, 2022. That trial resulted in a mistrial when the jury could not reach a decision, and the second started in May, 2023.

He was found guilty on May 31 (local time).

I heard he was blowing kisses during sentencing?

At the sentencing, before being led away to start serving his sentence, Masterson was seen blowing a kiss to his wife Bijou Phillips, who People reported was sitting with the actor’s family.

Have his former cast mates said anything?

In February this year former cast mate Ashton Kutcher said he hoped the actor would be found not guilty.

In an interview with Esquire Magazine, when asked his position on his friend’s innocence he said, “ultimately, I can’t know”.

“I’m not the judge. I’m not the jury. I’m not the DA. I’m not the victim. And I’m not the accused. And so, in that case, I don’t have a space to comment.”

In 2018, Topher Grace also said he had stayed quiet because he never “saw any of that stuff”, but didn’t want people to think he was defending Masterson.

“I was, of that cast, the most boring. So when it came to going out after the show and partying, I just was boring,” he told Hollywood Reporter at the time.

He wasn’t in that recent reboot of the show though, right?

No, when Netflix recently rebooted the original series and debuted That ‘90s Show, all former cast members made cameo appearances, except for Masterson.

What happens now?

Following the sentencing, Masterson’s lawyer said he would appeal the conviction.