Actor Danny Masterson has been fired from Netflix show The Ranch amidst allegations of rape.
Four women have accused Masterson of raping them in the early 2000s. The actor has been under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office since March of this year.
"As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of The Ranch," a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement. "Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him."
The decision to part ways with the actor comes one day after the Huffington Post reported that a Netflix executive told one of Masterson's accusers that the streaming giant doesn't believe the accusations. The company called the executive's words "careless" and "uninformed," while acknowledging he was unaware of who he was speaking to.
"I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix's decision to write my character off of The Ranch. From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one," Masterson said in a statement provided to the Huffington Post by his lawyer.
He continued: "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. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all."
Masterson will appear in the second half of The Ranch's second season, set to arrive on Netflix on December 15.
Four women have accused Masterson of raping them in the early 2000s. The actor has been under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office since March of this year.
"As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of The Ranch," a Netflix spokesperson said in a statement. "Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him."
The decision to part ways with the actor comes one day after the Huffington Post reported that a Netflix executive told one of Masterson's accusers that the streaming giant doesn't believe the accusations. The company called the executive's words "careless" and "uninformed," while acknowledging he was unaware of who he was speaking to.
"I am obviously very disappointed in Netflix's decision to write my character off of The Ranch. From day one, I have denied the outrageous allegations against me. I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one," Masterson said in a statement provided to the Huffington Post by his lawyer.
He continued: "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. I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all."
Masterson will appear in the second half of The Ranch's second season, set to arrive on Netflix on December 15.