Danny Masterson
An actor best known for his role as the sardonic Steven Hyde, whose career was upended by criminal convictions.
Born 1976 (age 50)·American actor·Birthday: March 13·Generation X
Biography
Danny Masterson became a familiar face to a generation of TV viewers as Steven Hyde, the cynical, leather-jacketed friend on the hit sitcom 'That '70s Show.' For eight seasons, his deadpan delivery and cool demeanor provided a counterpoint to the show's more exuberant characters. After the series ended, he worked steadily in television, landing lead roles in sitcoms like 'Men at Work' and Netflix's 'The Ranch.' However, his professional life collapsed following multiple allegations of sexual assault from the early 2000s. In 2023, he was convicted on two counts of rape and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison, a stark and definitive end to his public acting career.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Danny was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Danny Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Danny's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Steven Hyde for eight seasons on the long-running Fox sitcom 'That '70s Show.'
- Starred as Milo Foster in the TBS comedy series 'Men at Work.'
- Played a main role, Jameson Bennett, in the Netflix series 'The Ranch.'
- Directed several episodes of 'The Ranch' during his tenure on the show.
Did You Know?
He is the older brother of actor and DJ Alanna Masterson and actor Christopher Masterson.
He is a longtime member of the Church of Scientology.
He was a series regular on 'That '70s Show' from 1998 to 2006.
“I don't really care what people think about me.”
