Transparent star Jeffrey Tambor is facing another accusation of sexual harassment, this time from actress Trace Lysette.
Lysette has accused the actor of making sexually charged remarks to her during their work together on the ground-breaking Amazon comedy series. Lysette has appeared as a guest star in multiple episodes of the show’s four seasons to date.
Amazon is already investigating allegations of harassment levelled against Tambor by his former assistant on the show, Van Barnes. The allegations from Lysette, first reported by Deadline, will be probed as part of the ongoing investigation, Amazon said.
Actor Trace Lysette has guest starred on Transparent a couple of times. Photo: Reuters
According to Deadline, Lysette asserts that Tambor in one instance pressed his body up against her in a ”sexually aggressive manner” during a break in filming.
Tambor has denied the allegations in a statement to Variety, writing that he has “never been a predator – ever.”
“For the past four years, I’ve had the huge privilege – and huge responsibility – of playing Maura Pfefferman, a transgender woman, in a show that I know has had an enormous, positive impact on a community that has been too long dismissed and misunderstood. Now I find myself accused of behaviour that any civilised person would condemn unreservedly,” the statement reads.
“I know I haven’t always been the easiest person to work with. I can be volatile and ill-tempered, and too often I express my opinions harshly and without tact. But I have never been a predator – ever,” Tambor continued.
“I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone. But the fact is, for all my flaws, I am not a predator and the idea that someone might see me in that way is more distressing than I can express.”
Reps for Lysette and Transparent creator Jill Soloway did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The issue of sexual harassment is particularly sensitive at Amazon given the fact that Amazon Studios president Roy Price was ousted last month following allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour from multiple women. – Reuters
This image released by Amazon shows Jeffrey Tambor in the series Transparent. It is looking into the allegations against Tambor. Photo: Amazon
