Actor Jeffrey Tambor is denying allegations that he behaved inappropriately towards a former assistant.
According to Deadline, Amazon Studios is investigating the ‘Transparent’ star after accusations were made in a private Facebook post this week by Tambor’s former assistant, a transgender woman named Van Barnes.
In a statement, the Emmy-winning actor, 73, ‘adamantly and vehemently’ denies any wrongdoing, and called Barnes ‘disgruntled’.
Actor Jeffrey Tambor (pictured) is denying allegations that he behaved inappropriately toward a former assistant. ‘I am appalled and distressed by this baseless allegation,’ he said
The claims were made in a private Facebook post this week by Tambor’s former assistant, a transgender woman named Van Barnes (left and right). Tambor called Barnes ‘disgruntled’
‘I am appalled and distressed by this baseless allegation,’ Tambor said.
Amazon is in the process of speaking to both members of the ‘Transparent’ production and Tambor personally, per the studio’s policy.
Tambor plays the transgender matriarch of the Pfefferman family on the show, which airs on Amazon.
The probe comes on the heels of the resignation of Roy Price, the head of Amazon Studios, in October over claims of sexual harassment .
Price reportedly harassed Isa Hackett, an executive producer on the Amazon original series ‘The Man in the High Castle’, at a dinner in July 2015.
Hackett told The Hollywood Reporter that after being introduced to her, Price allegedly suggested they ‘have an affair’ to help promote her series and bragged about his sexual prowess, such as telling her ‘You will love my d**k’.
Amazon is in the process of speaking to both members of the ‘Transparent’ production and Tambor personally, per the studio’s policy. Tambor plays the transgender matriarch of the Pfefferman family on the show (pictured), which airs on Amazon
The probe comes on the heels of the resignation of Roy Price (pictured, left, with Tambor in June 2017), the head of Amazon Studios, in October over claims of sexual harassment. Producer Isa Hackett says Price suggested they ‘have an affair’ to help promote her series
The morning after the incident, Hackett complained to two senior Amazon Studios programming executives, one of the people familiar with the episode told The Wall Street Journal, and was told he was ‘disciplined’.
Just several hours after Hackett’s story was published, Amazon suspended Price. He resigned the following day.
Tambor is the latest high profile Hollywood figure to be accused of misconduct in a wave that began when dozens of sexual harassment allegations were reported last month against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
Since then, actor Kevin Spacey, screenwriter James Toback, director Brett Ratner, and actor Ed Westwick have all been accused of sexual assault or harassment.