Danny Masterson called the rape accusations against him “outrageous” after he was fired Tuesday from his Netflix show “The Ranch.”
“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,” the 41-year-old actor said in a statement to Variety. (RELATED: Danny Masterson Written Out Of ‘The Ranch’ Over Rape Claims)
(Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Netflix)
“Law enforcement investigated these claims more than 15 years ago and determined them to be without merit,” he added. “I have never been charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. 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,” he continued. “I understand and look forward to clearing my name once and for all. In the meantime, I want to express my gratitude to the cast and crew that I’ve worked so closely with over the past three seasons. I wish them nothing but success. I am also so thankful to the fans that have supported me and continue to do so.”
On Tuesday, the streaming site announced that Masterson would be written out of the series amid rape claims by four women.
“As a result of ongoing discussions, Netflix and the producers have written Danny Masterson out of ‘The Ranch,'” Netflix said in a statement. “Yesterday was his last day on the show, and production will resume in early 2018 without him.”
The Los Angeles County District Attorney and Los Angeles Police Department are investigating the accusations.