Arrested Development actor Jeffrey Tambor has decided to quit Amazon’s Transparent after multiple sexual harassment allegations have been claimed against him.
Tambor had played the character of Maura Pfefferman — the transgender individual going through the process of coming out to her broken family — for a total of four seasons.
“Playing Maura Pfeffermen on Transparent has been one of the greatest privileges and creative experiences of my life,” Tambor said in a statement to Variety. “What has become clear over the past few weeks, however, is that this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago.”
He went on: “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 politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted out set, I don’t see how I can return to Transparent.”
Three people, however, have come out with allegations against Tambor. A trans woman who was also Tambov’s personal assistant came forward on Nov. 8, starting the investigation. Shortly after, Tambor’s co-star on the set of Transparent — Trace Lysette — came forward with a similar report of inappropriate actions. A third individual, Tamara Delbridge, has also recently stated that Tambor forcibly kissed her back in 2001.
“I was just shocked,” Delbridge told Deadline. “I didn’t even know how to react, because how do you react when you’re not expecting anything like that? So I didn’t know if I was embarrassed or chocked or mortified or stunned. It was a whole bunch of emotions.”
“I have absolutely no recollection of anything like this incident ever happening,” Jeffrey Tambor said in a statement to Deadline, regarding Delbridge’s claims. “If it did, it wasn’t meant as anything more than an enthusiastic farewell and gratitude for a job well done at the end of a shoot. however, I am deeply sorry for any discomfort or offense I may have inadvertently caused her.”
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The claims of the victims have also been backed by Transparent writer and producer Our Lady J. The fourth season of Transparent recently hit Amazon on Sept. 22. A fifth season has not been announced but is expected to continue without Tambor’s involvement.