That 70s show star Danny Masterson's tumultuous journey - from stardom to the courtroom

Oh, how the mighty fall! Remember the hilariously nostalgic That ’70s Show? It's time we travel back to 2021. Danny Masterson, the witty Steven Hyde from the series, found himself center-stage, but not under the spotlight he might have hoped for. Instead of laughs and applauses, the echoes from the courtroom rang louder.

Masterson's fame reached its zenith when he danced his way into our hearts from 1998 to 2006, hanging out in that iconic basement with Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, and Topher Grace. But 2021 had other plans. Charges of rape from three women from the early 2000s threatened to overshadow his once sparkling career. The verdict? The court's green signal for a trial.

Scientology & Silences

Now, what's a Hollywood story without some dramatic twists? Enter, the Church of Scientology. A well-known face of the church, Masterson's ties added layers to the accusations. All three women, once a part of the church, brought forward not just claims of assault but a narrative that the church's teachings deterred them from approaching the police for years. “The Church and its teachings came up constantly during testimony,” as reported by The Guardian.

And while Masterson firmly denied the charges, calling the relations consensual, his attorney's defense that anti-religious bias tainted the prosecution made one wonder - was it just about the allegations, or was there more to the story?

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A Fall from Grace & Hollywood's #MeToo Moments

Masterson's career trajectory seemed unaffected initially. In 2017, he was riding high with Kutcher in the Netflix western sitcom The Ranch. But as the tremors from the Harvey Weinstein allegations shook Hollywood's core, Masterson too felt the ripple effect, resulting in his exit from the show.

As the 45-year-old actor navigated these choppy waters, free on bail, a possible conviction hung over him like the sword of Damocles - a staggering 45 years in prison.

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So, as we reflect on Hollywood's past, it's essential to remember the stories behind the glitter and glamour. For Masterson, 2021 was a year that might have changed the course of his legacy forever. And for Hollywood, it was another chapter in its ongoing #MeToo saga, holding the industry's stalwarts accountable, one trial at a time.

(Several parts of the text in this article, including the title, were generated with the help of an AI tool.)