After being accused of sexual harassment, Jeffrey Tambor has announced that he won’t return to Transparent. The writers have a plan to continue the series without him.
On November 8, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of sexual harassment by his former personal assistant Van Barnes, a transgender woman, in a private Facebook post.
Barnes detailed how Tambor (unnamed in her initial post) had propositioned her, groped her and threatened a lawsuit if she came forward.
Related: One Tree Hill actresses release joint statement accusing showrunner of sexual harassment
In a statement to Deadline, Tambor said, “I adamantly and vehemently reject and deny any and all implication and allegation,” dismissing Barnes’ claim as a “baseless allegation” from “a former disgruntled assistant.”
Following the allegations, Amazon opened up an investigation into Tambor’s behavior.
Commenting on the ongoing investigation, Transparent creator Jill Soloway said:
“Anything that would diminish the level of respect, safety and inclusion so fundamental to our workplace is completely antithetical to our principles. We are cooperating with the investigation into this matter.”
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Last Thursday, Transparent guest star Trace Lysette also came forward against the actor, writing on Twitter that Tambor has “made many sexual advances and comments at me, but one time it got physical”:
My full statement #MeToo pic.twitter.com/V4CHpvEMpZ
— Trace Lysette (@tracelysette) November 17, 2017
Now, Tambor has released a second statement to Variety in which he announces his intention to depart Transparent:
“For the past four years, I’ve had the huge privilege — and huge responsibility – of playing Maura Pfefferman, a transgender woman, in a show that I know has had an enormous, positive impact on a community that has been too long dismissed and misunderstood. Now I find myself accused of behavior that any civilized person would condemn unreservedly.
I know I haven’t always been the easiest person to work with. I can be volatile and ill-tempered, and too often I express my opinions harshly and without tact. But I have never been a predator — ever. I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone. But the fact is, for all my flaws, I am not a predator and the idea that someone might see me in that way is more distressing than I can express.”
Transparent is likely moving ahead without Tambor, with a source telling Variety that, “There’s momentum on the inside to continue without Jeffrey Tambor.” Amazon has yet to make a final decision about the next season.
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