Jeffrey Tambor Speaks Out About ‘Transparent’ Firing: “Lines Got Blurred”

Actor Jeffrey Tambor has given his first major interview since being accused of sexual misconduct on the set of Transparent. In a comprehensive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor opened up about how he mistreated his castmates and what it was like to be fired from the award-winning show. Tambor stands as one of the first major accused men to speak openly about his accusations in the #MeToo era.

Last year, two trans women who worked closely with Tambor accused the actor of sexual harassment and misconduct. The first was Tambor’s former assistant Van Barnes, and the second was Trace Lysette, who starred on the series. These accusations started an investigation from Amazon, which led to Tambor’s firing.

Though the actor denies some of the accusations that have been made, he doesn’t deny mistreating his co-workers. He admits to staying with Barnes for a period of time, but he denies watching her sleep naked as Barnes has claimed. Tambor even references a blowup he had with Jessica Walter on the set of Arrested Development, though Walter refused to give a comment about the incident.

“I drove myself and my castmates crazy,” Tambor said about Transparent. “Lines got blurred. I was difficult. I was mean. I yelled at Jill — she told me recently she was afraid of me. I yelled at the wonderful [executive producer] Bridget Bedard in front of everybody. I made her cry. And I apologized and everything, but still, I yelled at her. The assistant directors. I was rude to my assistant. I was moody. Sometimes I didn’t talk at all.”

The actor claims that a lot of his anger came from the pressure of trying to play a transgender woman in a way that wasn’t offensive.

Tambor said that the Amazon investigation lasted for 10 hours in two sessions. Though he never believed he would be fired over the accusations, a text from Jill Soloway proved him wrong. Tambor claims the show creator called him after firing him via text. “I don’t remember the whole conversation,” he said. “But I do remember her last words were: ‘Do you need help with a statement?’”

However, Transparent is finding a way to move on without Maura. Toward the end of the piece, Soloway reveals that this upcoming season will be the final one for the show. “Hopefully it sets the Pfeffermans up with some sort of beautiful reclaiming,” Soloway said.

You can read the whole interview here.

Stream Transparent on Prime Video