There’s a LOT to digest in THR‘s profile of Jeffrey Tambor — his first full interview granted since he was let go from Transparent after allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced.
Above all, though, we can certainly say Tambor is still fighting the characterizations that what he did was sexual misconduct; to read the long, full piece itself would have you realizing Tambor far more wants to be seen as an actor difficult to work with than an alleged sexual predator.
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So to that end, some highlights.
First, Tambor very much disputes the characterization from Van Barnes that he watched her sleeping naked — an accusation Van again publicly levied during Megyn Kelly‘s daytime talk show recently.
From the THR profile, Tambor responded to the allegation (below):
“‘My arrangements hadn’t come together. In retrospect, I should not have stayed there and just waited for my house to become ready’ ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ but insists Barnes’ claims that he observed her sleeping naked are completely fabricated. Asked to address other specific allegations, including the propositioning and physical touching, he grows reticent. ‘I don’t want to characterize them,’ he says. ‘What I said was that she was a disgruntled assistant. I think that was generous of me. I dispute her account. I did raise my voice at times, I was moody at times, there were times when I was tactless. But as for the other stuff, absolutely not.'”
Hmmm…
That’s the weird thing about this profile, Tambor openly acknowledges being a “difficult” actor or being tough to work with on set, but he never, ever really comes to terms with some of the more serious accusations and reports that allegedly occurred on the set of Transparent.
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At one point, he told of the allegations THR (below):
“I drove myself and my castmates crazy. Lines got blurred. I was difficult. I was mean. I yelled at Jill ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ 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. And this is where the reader says, ├óΓé¼╦£So what?’ You know? ├óΓé¼╦£You’re coming in from the Palisades, you drive in, you get a good paycheck, you get to play one of the best roles in the world. So. What.’ But I was scared, because I was a cisgender male playing Maura Pfefferman. And my whole thing was, ├óΓé¼╦£Am I doing it right? Am I doing it right? Am I doing it right?’ To the point that I worried myself to death.”
That’s…. that sounds like a hell of a walk-around and a major excuse of alleged bad behavior.
Not to mention there’s nothing to directly address allegations!!
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This other passage from THR — about Tambor’s current job on Arrested Development — further bears reading out, too (below):
“Despite his troubles, he still has a job on Arrested Development, the Netflix comedy in which Tambor plays the patriarch of another dysfunctional California clan, the Bluths. Its fifth season premieres on the streaming service May 29 in order to qualify it for the Emmy voting window. The scandal provided an unwelcome distraction during the final months of production, which began in August 2017 and wrapped in December. Nevertheless, Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos tells THR that it was a smooth shoot and Tambor will be in attendance at upcoming media appearances, including a May 17 premiere event in Hollywood. ‘In making and promoting seasons four and five of Arrested Development,’ Sarandos says, ‘Jeffrey has always been totally professional.’ So far, Tambor has earned support from fellow cast member David Cross (‘a number of us stand behind him … and I am one of them,’ Cross told amNew York in an interview) while another, Alia Shawkat, who also appeared on Transparent, told IndieWire she was ‘surprised’ by the allegations but ‘supports the voice of the victims.'”
Not everybody is buying that, though.
Early on after its release Monday, criticism was already coming in for the THR feature — not only to Tambor, himself, but also for how the piece itself characterizes the alleged victims (below):
i … ok https://t.co/WCCTDyZkQ2
— hunter harris (@hunteryharris) May 7, 2018
There are a lot of things that feel questionable about this Jeffrey Tambor THR profile. Here are two questionable descriptions of his accusers: https://t.co/xAV5VGDMKs pic.twitter.com/PhqTbw8NOU
— Samantha Rollins (@SamanthaRollins) May 7, 2018
I’m gonna take a wild guess that this was also edited only by men? pic.twitter.com/NBxeeaoEGL
— Samantha Rollins (@SamanthaRollins) May 7, 2018
Hmmm…
You can read the full THR interview HERE.
What do U think, Perezcious readers?!
Let us know your opinions in the comments (below)…
[Image via WENN.]
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