Jeffrey Tambor Fired From ‘Transparent’ Following Sexual Harassment Claims

Jeffrey Tambor, who plays transgender woman Maura Pfefferman on Amazon’s original series Transparent, will not be returning to the show for its fifth season.

JEFFREY TAMBOR FIRED FROM TRANSPARENT

Tambor received multiple allegations of sexual harassment against him more than three months ago, and the show, created by Jill Soloway, has finally fired him. While it is unclear if the upcoming fifth season will be Transparent‘s last, it will be the last for Tambor.

The decision was made to cut Tambor this week, but his expulsion seemed likely since at least November. “I don’t see how I can return to Transparent,” Tambor said on Nov. 19, citing the claims against him and “the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set.” His words were widely viewed as a voluntary exit from the show, but both the actor and his reps have tried to deny that.

Tambor was accused of sexual harassment by his former assistant, transgender actress Van Barnes, and was also accused of making inappropriate sexual advances on his transgender co-star Trace Lysette. “I have great respect and admiration for Van Barnes and Trace Lysette, whose courage in speaking out about their experience on Transparent is an example of the leadership this moment in our culture requires,” Soloway said in a statement to NPR. “We are grateful to the many trans people who have supported our vision for Transparent since its inception, and remain heartbroken about the pain and mistrust their experience has generated in our community. We are taking definitive action to ensure our workplace respects the safety and dignity of every individual, and are taking steps to heal as a family.”

While Tambor has apologized for any unintended misbehavior, he has also vehemently denied the claims against him, saying they are “simply and utterly untrue.”

The actor responded to his firing on Thursday evening, expressing heartbreak and upset at both Amazon and Soloway. “I am profoundly disappointed in Amazon’s handling of these false accusations against me. I am even more disappointed in Jill Soloway’s unfair characterization of me as someone who would ever cause harm to any of my fellow cast mates,” the actor wrote in a statement. “In our four-year history of working together on this incredible show, these accusations have NEVER been revealed or discussed directly with me or anyone at Amazon. Therefore, I can only surmise that the investigation against me was deeply flawed and biased toward the toxic politicized atmosphere that afflicted our set. As I have consistently stated, I deeply regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone, and I will continue to vehemently defend myself. I also deeply regret that this ground-breaking show, which changed so many lives, is now in jeopardy. That, to me, is the biggest heartbreak.”

Both Tambor and Soloawy have won two Emmys for their work on the show – Tambor for lead actor and Soloway for directing in both 2015 and 2016.

Watch Tambor’s uInterview here.