Biggest Surprise at SDCC: Original Character Omitted from Explosive '70s Show 25th Anniversary!

Summary

Masterson's absence was evident as there were no life-size cutouts of him and limited footage featuring him in the cast's video display.

At the 2023 San Diego Comic-Con, the exclusion of actor Danny Masterson from the That '70s Show activation was notable. Masterson, who played Steven Hyde – the best friend of Eric Forman (Topher Grace) and a main cast member throughout the entire show – has faced serious consequences due to sexual assault allegations that emerged in 2017. Hollywood distanced itself from Masterson, denying him a platform and resulting in his firing from The Ranch, as well as his exclusion from the recent spin-off, That '90s Show. Masterson was recently found guilty on two of the three rape charges and now faces the possibility of up to three decades in prison.

According to EW, Masterson was excluded from the anniversary activation of That '70s Show at SDCC.

In honor of the show's 25th anniversary, the convention showcased a video display and life-size photographs of the cast. However, Masterson was not depicted in any of the life-size cutouts or given prominent attention in the video display. Although he was briefly seen in the background of the video and his famous catchphrase "Hello, Wisconsin" could be heard, Masterson was largely left out of the anniversary celebration.

That 70s Show Has Distanced Itself From Danny Masterson

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That '70s Show has made previous attempts to distance itself from Masterson, and the entertainment industry as a whole has rejected him since the allegations of rape emerged. At the time of the allegations, Masterson was working on The Ranch alongside his former co-star from That '70s Show, Ashton Kutcher. However, he was dismissed from the Netflix series and his character written off the show during the investigation.

Recently, Netflix launched a spin-off of That '70s Show called That '90s Show. The new series revolves around the children of the main characters of the original show, with a particular focus on the daughter of Eric and Donna (played by Laura Prepon), Leia (portrayed by Callie Haverda). That '90s Show also brings back Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith, who reprise their roles as Kitty and Red Forman, and includes the return of almost every major cast member from the original series. Interestingly, Masterson's character Hyde does not make an appearance in the spin-off and is neither mentioned nor seen in any flashbacks to the original show.

The cast and crew of That '70s Show have refrained from public comments regarding Masterson's trial and guilty verdict. It is possible that this is due to the ongoing nature of the investigation and trial, which recently concluded. Masterson was not arrested and charged until 2020, and his first trial ended in a mistrial. However, considering that he has now been officially declared guilty on two counts of rape and is facing a lengthy prison sentence, it is probable that the show will actively take measures to prevent Masterson's involvement from unintentionally overshadowing its legacy.