Jeffrey Tambor, who won acclaim for his portrayal of a transgender woman on Transparent, has exited the Amazon series after a co-star and a former personal assistant separately accused him of sexual misconduct. (HuffPost)
Tambor, who denies both allegations, said through a spokesperson that the “politicized atmosphere” of the set has led him to choose to exit the Emmy-winning show. There has not yet been confirmation of the actor’s formal exit from Transparent from Amazon or Tambor, only the language that he “can’t see how [he] can return.” Amazon responded to a request for comment, but has no statement to share right now. (Mashable)
Tambor was accused of sexual harassment by his former personal assistant, a trans woman named Van Barnes, in a private Facebook post on Nov. 8, causing Amazon to open an investigation into the allegations. On Thursday, guest star Trace Lysette came forward with further alleged instances of inappropriate behavior. (Variety)
While a stunner on one level, this move by Golden Globe winner Tambor comes as the show itself was seemingly gearing up to shuffle him off the show. Even before the first claims, Tambor’s option for a Season 5 had not actually been picked up, sources say. (Deadline)
Amazon had previously opened a formal investigation into Tambor’s behavior. Tambor is the second actor, after Kevin Spacey, to leave an award-winning role under a cloud of suspicion in recent weeks. (Vanity Fair / HWD)