Early Life and Acting Career
Masterson was born on Long Island, New York, the son of Carol, a manager, and Peter Masterson, an insurance agent. His brother is actor Christopher Masterson. Masterson was a child model from the age of four who was featured in magazine articles, as well as television commercials beginning at age five. Masterson was also involved in theater, and starred on Broadway 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 sausage, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Hardee's, Hostess, Tang, and Clearasil.
In the early 1990s, Masterson landed a role in Beethoven's 2nd. He also 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 part 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" in the episode "Where There's A Will." Masterson will have a lead role in Spike's new television series, Playing With Guns. Masterson portrayed the high-profile American social activist 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 will also appear in the film Alter Egos, directed by Jordan Galland.
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