Jeffrey Tambor received all of the awards for playing Maura Pfefferman on Transparent – he and the show took home Emmys, Golden Globes and more for Amazon’s show about a late-in-life transition. Tambor was beloved in the role and he could have conceivably played Maura for many more years. Unfortunately, Tambor was apparently harassing and assaulting several women on the show. His ex-assistant, a transgender woman, took her complaints to Amazon and that triggered an internal investigation. Tambor issued a statement that it was all lies and misunderstandings. Then transgender actress Trace Lysette came forward, saying that Tambor harassed her and groped her. Tambor issued another statement, but by then, we could see the writing on the wall: sources said the show was looking into ways to write out Tambor’s character. And now they will do exactly that for the fifth season.
Jeffrey Tambor, who played Maura Pfefferman on Amazon’s “Transparent,” has exited the series amid sexual harassment allegations against the actor.
“Playing Maura Pfefferman on ‘Transparent’ has been one of the greatest privileges and creative experiences of my life,” the Emmy-winning actor said in a statement to Variety. “What has become clear over the past weeks, however, is that this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago. 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,” Tambor said. “Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to ‘Transparent.’”
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.
My guess is that Amazon Studios gave Tambor an ultimatum: quit or be fired, and if he quit, they would let him issue whatever kind of bullsh-t cover statement for it. I say that because his statement is bullsh-t. You don’t quit a show if you’re being falsely accused of harassing coworkers. You quit a show because you know there’s mounting evidence and victim testimony about your misdeeds. I’ll admit it, this one hurts. I liked Jeffrey Tambor, mostly because of Arrested Development. But this is crap and I’m over him.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Amazon Studios.
I’m a huge fan of Transparent. With all due respect to the trans community, I do not find Maura’s story interesting. She’s still privileged and all that.
Good riddance.
I am a huge fan of transparent too, and not particularly because of Maura, so I don’t think I will miss her. This is one of those shows where I don’t really “like” any of the characters all that much, but I find them just fascinating to watch. The choices they make. They are all so flawed. One of the more interesting aspects of the story was the backstory of Gitel, Maura’s mother’s sister. I really wish they would have gone more into her story, and I was thinking that they might still, but maybe not now that there will be a major change. Although perhaps Allie will look more into it. I wonder how they will write her out?
The only thing I can see is a funeral. Which could be a great counterpoint to the big wedding scene in season 2.
Transparent is one of my favorite shows. I thought that, while Maura was certainly privileged (and rather unaware of that fact) the show pointed it up, like when she got lost in that shopping center which she’d normally never have chosen to step foot into.
I’m really glad they are going forward without Maura. It is the right thing to do. Being great at your job does not give you a pass. Nor should the work they are creating be thrown away because of one bad actor.
The moment I read his statement I got the impression he just decided to quit and maybe even without informing Amazon in advance. This whole statememt is shapped sort of like: “I am a good person but now that thete is this toxic enviroment at work, I see no possibility to carry on. Bye, ungrateful bitches!” I also think that precisely because he won all the awards in the world for his recent work he probably thinks that if he ejects himself fast from that situation the more likely the chances he will safe face and will continue getting work. Just my impression.
Either that or more allegations are going to surface and he thought it best to quit rather than get fired by Amazon.
Yeah, “given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set,” really rubs me the wrong way. Forget that his alleged actions are what caused the atmosphere.
Besides the point but why did he think that a show about a trans woman could refrain from being political at this point in time? Also, that comment is obtuse and pure deflection.
This one hurt for me too, I loved him. Netflix is soon releasing season 5 of Arrested Development, I wonder how they’ll handle it.
No actor, producer, agent, studio head, journalist, musician, or whoever, is truly irreplaceable. If this show ends, others will rise. My sympathies to the innocent workers who face unemployment but there will be other shows. It’s time to cull the sexist dinosaurs. It’s time for chemotherapy for the cancer. It’s either that or Hollywood should be left to die. No more of this garbage.
How many more?
I just hope we can process this. Have time to process this and not be overwhelmed and start becoming inured to it all. And just respond with ‘omg not another one’. And move on to something else in the news.
This has to stay important. It must stop.
Another one bites the dust. I actually found him entertaining. WTF. Can’t even imagine the echo of discomfort roaring through the auditoriums during award season. This whole dirty, ugly, unclean, unholy community gasping for air. Wow.
Wow. Good point Nancy! Awards season is going to be awkward AF!!!! LOL! I laugh because the scum deserve this. They got away with it for far too long. No more!
These men are just so weak. You’re called out on your sh*tty behavior and your reaction is that of a petulant child throwing a tantrum. Sure, my first reaction when I’m being accused of offensive behavior at my job is to quit. What a load.
I’m just so happy that they’re all getting what was coming to them. Finally, one by one. The women you broke are coming back.
I started to like him after he made a statement that following his performance on the show there should no longer be cis actors playing Trans characters which I agree with.
I wonder if more Transwoman will come forward, it’s interesting that he seems to be targeting them specifically, does he feel that because he’s « helped » the trans community they should all be greatful to him and like his harassment? Or is he actually transphobic…
“yeah, the show I signed up for was one where I am allowed to grab and grope when I wish.” That is how I took his statement. What a narcissist.
I have a friend who worked with him on a non-television project and he was awful. Spoiled and threw a lot of tantrums, like Hank Kingsley.
The way he left the show sounds about right.
I’ve heard that too, that he throws big temper tantrums when things don’t go his way.
I think that’s what this statement is, a tantrum. I don’t think he was fired yet, I think he’s basically stormed off in a self-righteous huff because people had to audacity to investigate his behaviour.
It’s getting to a point where I cannot watch any of the movies or TV shows I once enjoyed. White Gold with Ed Westwick. Dammit. Transparent? Dammit. Anything with freaking Kevin Spacey, whom I adored, dammit. I even gave up Johnny Depp because he’s a drunken wife beater. Dammit Hollywood and all of the people who protected these creeps!
Sigh. I loved him, Transparent, and adore Arrested Development. I know this needs to happen but it’s so upsetting. How many more perverts do we still not know about? How much longer can this pace keep up?
I will obviously never look at Tambor the same way again, but I hope Netflix still goes ahead with the new season of AD. There are a ton of other talented people who work on that show who don’t deserve to be penalized. I’d rather that he continue to get royalties instead of them cancelling it and *nobody* getting them.
As for Transparent— the show pretty much revolves around Maura, no? I guess they could find a way to keep it going without her, but it would be an entirely different show. He may be a creep IRL, but he was beyond excellent in that role.
This is just so sad.
“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,” Tambor said. “Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to ‘Transparent.’”
—
Wow. Most statements coming from predators and their apologists are pretty awful. But this is the most disgusting and whiney non-apology to come along in awhile.
Perfectly said