Netflix has announced it is severing its ties with one of the stars of its original sitcom series “The Ranch” over troubling allegations of sexual assault under investigation by Los Angeles police.
“As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of The Ranch,” a company spokesperson said, Entertainment Weekly reported Tuesday. “Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him.”
Unlike fellow embattled Netflix star Kevin Spacey, who has been written out entirely from the forthcoming and likely final season of “House of Cards,” Mr. Masterson is featured in the upcoming season of “The Ranch,” set to debut on the streaming service on Dec. 15.
Netflix’s announcement comes one day after the streaming service found itself scrambling to recover from a public relations fiasco after one of its executives, Andy Yeatman, who coaches a girls’ soccer team on the weekends, reportedly told a woman attending a game Sunday that Netflix officials did not believe the women had credible allegations. Unbeknownst to him, the Huffington Post reported, the woman Mr. Yeatman made that admission to was herself one of the women alleging an assault by Mr. Masterson.
“Mr. Yeatman’s comments were careless, uninformed and do not represent the views of the company,” Netflix said in a statement Monday. “Further, he would have no insights into decision making on The Ranch. We are aware of the allegations against Danny Masterson and we are following the current investigation, and will respond if developments occur.”
In early November, the Huffington Post reported that sources close to the investigation were telling the website that there was significant evidence to justify moving forward with charges against Mr. Masterson, but that the case was “inexplicably stalled.” The Huffington Post also noted that the Church of Scientology, of which Mr. Masterson is a member, had produced some 50 church members who gave sworn affidavits challenging one of the alleged victim’s rape claims.
The Associated Press first reported on the ongoing LAPD investigation into allegations against Mr. Masterson back in March.
• Ken Shepherd can be reached at kshepherd@washingtontimes.com.
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