David Cross says he and a number of other 'Arrested Development' stars are supporting their co-star Jeffrey Tambor, after the 73-year-old actor departed Amazon's 'Transparent' following allegations of sexual harassment against him.
David Cross says he and a number of other Arrested Development stars are supporting their co-star Jeffrey Tambor, after the 73-year-old actor departed Amazon's Transparent following allegations of sexual harassment against him.
Tambor officially exited Transparent earlier this month, after he was accused of sexual harassment by former assistant Van Barnes and his co-star, Trace Lysette, whose accusations he has publicly denied. Following the accusations against Tambor in November, an investigation was initiated by Amazon.
In a statement, Tambor said he was "disappointed" in Amazon and Transparent co-creator Jill Soloway fo how they handled the accusations against him.
In a new interview with amNew York, Cross spoke out in support of Tambor.
“I can’t speak for everybody, but I know there are a number of us who stand behind him -- from the limited amount we know, we stand behind Jeffrey -- and I am one of them,” Cross said of he and the star-studded Arrested Development cast, which includes Jason Bateman, Portia de Rossi, Will Arnett, Michael Cera and Alia Shawkat.
“I think it’s very curious that Amazon didn’t make public the results of their internal investigation,” Cross continued. “I’m not sure why they would do that. I just know the whole thing is rather curious to me.”
Arrested Development is returning for a highly anticipated fifth season on Netflix, though the launch date has yet to be announced. Cross says he hopes that the allegations against Tambor won't affect Tambor's role as family patriarch George Bluth Sr. in the comedy series.
"I doubt it, but I don’t know," he noted. "I’m not in those offices or making those decisions.”
Meanwhile, Tambor has continued to deny the allegations against him in his own statement about exiting Transparent. In November, Lysette claimed that while on the set of Transparent, Tambor "sexualized" her with an "over the top comment," and further claimed that the actor physically harassed her.
"I am profoundly disappointed in Amazon’s handling of these false accusations against me," Tambor's statement reads. "I am even more disappointed in Jill Soloway’s unfair characterization of me as someone who would ever cause harm to any of my fellow castmates. In our four-year history of working together on this incredible show, these accusations have NEVER been revealed or discussed directly with me or anyone at Amazon. Therefore, I can only surmise that the investigation against me was deeply flawed and biased toward the toxic politicized atmosphere that afflicted our set."
Meanwhile, Soloway supported Barnes and Lysette in her own statement about Tambor's departure.
"I have great respect and admiration for Van Barnes and Trace Lysette, whose courage in speaking out about their experience on Transparent is an example of the leadership this moment in our culture requires," the statement reads. "We are grateful to the many trans people who have supported our vision for Transparent since its inception and remain heartbroken about the pain and mistrust their experience has generated in our community. We are taking definitive action to ensure our workplace respects the safety and dignity of every individual, and are taking steps to heal as a family."
RELATED CONTENT:
