Danny Masterson

Early life and acting career

Masterson was born on Long Island, New York, the son of Carol Masterson, a manager, and Peter Masterson, an insurance agent. He grew up in Garden City and East Williston, New York. He has two brothers, Will Masterson and actor Christopher Masterson. Their half-brother, Jordan Masterson, is an actor and their half-sister, Alanna Masterson, is an actress.

A child model from age 4, who was featured in magazine articles as well as television commercials beginning at age 5, Masterson starred in musicals as a child at the age of eight, and began acting as well. His singing voice "disappeared" by the time he was a teenager. By the time he was sixteen, he had appeared in over one-hundred commercials, including ones for Swift Premium, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Hardee's, Hostess, Tang, and Clearasil.

In the early 1990s, Masterson had a role in Beethoven's 2nd, and starred as Justin in Cybill. These roles launched a film career, including a minor role in the John Travolta film Face/Off. After starring in the third and fourth seasons of Cybill, Masterson decided he wanted to move on from Cybill and audition for a show originally titled Teenage Wasteland, which later was changed to That '70s Show. The original casting director for That '70s Show, Debby Romano, resisted Masterson's audition because he was slightly older than the rest of the cast, but ultimately allowed him to audition. She stated that, "he came in and he was just so funny", and that he redefined where the role was going and made the role of Steven Hyde the, "tough, funny guy".

Masterson appeared in all eight seasons of That '70s Show. His appearance on That '70s Show launched a breakthrough in Masterson's career, allowing him to pursue other endeavours between tapings. After the show concluded Masterson starred in several movies and made guest appearances on television shows including Punk'd and MADtv. Along with Kutcher and Valderrama, he co-hosted the Fox TV special Woodstock 1999. He had a role in the 2008 comedy Yes Man. Masterson stars with his real-life wife, Bijou Phillips, in the 2009 drama The Bridge to Nowhere.

In 2011, Masterson guest starred as James Roland in USA Network's White Collar (episode "Where There's A Will"). He portrayed Jerry Rubin in the 2010 movie, The Chicago 8, written and directed by Pinchas Perry. The Chicago 8 is a film based on the actual Chicago Eight in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and explores the events around the trial. It was filmed in September and October 2009. The film is based closely on the trial transcripts and most of the action takes place in the courtroom.

In 2012, the comedy series Men At Work premiered on TBS, co-starring Masterson and Michael Cassidy, James Lesure and Adam Busch. In 2012, Masterson appeared in the film Alter Egos, directed by Jordan Galland.

In 2015, it was confirmed that Masterson would appear in the new Netflix series The Ranch along with Sam Elliott, Ashton Kutcher, and Elisha Cuthbert.

Music

Masterson began DJing at Los Angeles night clubs in 1999 as a hobby, but it soon became a side business. Masterson is a self-described "rock and hip hop fanatic", and is also a fan of indie, electro, and funk music, all of which he primarily DJs with.

Business ventures

Masterson owns a lounge and bar in Park City, Utah called Downstairs.

He models occasionally, and he has been on the covers of many magazines, including Paper Magazine and YRB Magazine. He is a poker enthusiast, stating "The most I've lost is a couple of grand and the most I've won is a lot more than that." He appeared as part of a poker team, the Unabombers, at a Poker Royale: James Woods vs. the Unabombers tournament on GSN. He has hosted celebrity poker events, such as the Phat Farm Stuff Casino Weekend Poker Tournament, in which he won the tournament.

Personal life

Masterson is a Scientologist. He started dating Bijou Phillips in 2005, they became engaged in 2009, and married on October 18, 2011. They had daughter Fianna Frances Masterson on February 14, 2014.

In March 2017, three women alleged they were sexually assaulted by Masterson in the early 2000s. The Los Angeles Police Department has issued a statement confirming that they are conducting an investigation. Masterson, through his agent, has denied the allegations.

Charity work

Masterson has also been involved with the New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project, a controversial organization with ties to the Church of Scientology. He also played in a charity softball game in New York's Central Park to help raise money for children in need of neurosurgery, designed guitars for a MusiCares fundraiser, and has supported such as the Hollywood Police Activities League (a national youth development program for at-risk youth). He has also played on the World Poker Tour Celebrity Invitational for the charity Chrysalis, with all proceeds going to said charity. He has also played the World Series of Poker's Ante up for Africa event.