Jeffrey Tambor, the star of Amazon's
Transparent, said on Sunday that he's leaving the series after
two women accused him of sexual misconduct.
Van Barnes, a former assistant to
Tambor, alleged in a Facebook post earlier this month that Tambor had
sexually harassed and groped her. A co-star on the show, Trace
Lysette, also came out with a “me too” story.
Lysette, a transgender actress, said in
a statement that Tambor had “made many sexual advances and
comments.” She described one encounter in which Tambor cornered her
and simulated sex.
Tambor has denied the claims.
“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,” he said in a statement given
to Deadline
Hollywood. “Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have
afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to Transparent.”
In the series, Tambor plays a woman who
comes out transgender to her adult children.
Amazon renewed the series for a fifth
season shortly before its fourth season premiered in September.