Jeffery Tambor quits ‘Transparent’ after multiple sexual harassment allegations

Nov 20 2017
Written by Jess Glass

(Rich Fury/Getty Images)

Jeffery Tambor has resigned from Amazon hit ‘Transparent’ after allegations of sexual harassment, including an incident where he thrust his penis at an actress.

This resignation comes after two separate allegations of sexual harassment from members of the ‘Transparent’ cast and crew.

In a statement to Contact Music, Tambor said: “Playing Maura Pfefferman on Transparent has been one of the greatest privileges and creative experiences of my life.

“What has become clear over the past weeks, however, is that this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago.”

The cast of Transparent at a Season Four screening (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Amazon Studios)

Tambor continued: “I’ve already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue.

“Given the politicised atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to ‘Transparent’.”

The first allegation of sexual misconduct came from Tambor’s former assistant and consultant for the show Van Barnes.

Van Barnes said that while she was Tambor’s personal assistant on the show, he acted in a sexually inappropriate way towards her.

This led Amazon to open an investigation into Tambor.

Last week new allegations came to light, with actress Trace Lysette – who has featured on the show since 2014 – saying that following Barnes’ testimony, she had to “add my voice to the chorus.”

Trace Lysette, Jeffrey Tambor, and Amy Landecker (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images for Amazon)

In her allegations, she detailed how Tambor had thrust his penis against her on set, in front of the entire crew.

Lysette wrote: “One day on set during season 2 Jeffrey, Alexandra Billings and I were all outfitted in pyjamas. I was in a flimsy top and matching short shorts.

Lysette continued: “I stood in a corner on the set as the crew reset for a wide shot. My back was against the wall in a corner as Jeffrey approached me.

“He came in close, put his bare feet on top of mine so I could not move, leaned his body against me, and began quick, discreet thrusts back and forth against my body.

“I felt his penis on my hip through his thin pyjamas and I pushed him off of me.”

(Photo by Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Amazon Studios)

In an initial statement after Lysette’s allegations, Tambor denied that he had acted like a predator, adding that he was “deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive”.

Less than a week after this initial statement, Tambor has resigned from the show prior to production starting on the show’s fifth season.

There are now significant questions about the future of ‘Transparent’ and how the show can continue without Tambor as the lead.

In her statement, Lysette gave her future hopes for the show, writing: “My hope is that Amazon can find the good in this, and use this as an opportunity, a teachable moment to re-centre the other trans characters in this show with the family members instead of just pulling it.”