After two members of the Transparent cast and crew have stepped forward and said that Jeffrey Tambor sexually harassed them, Amazon may be opting to produce season 5 of the show without the lead actor’s involvement.
According to Deadline, the show is only in the early stages of working on season 5, meaning the writers have the flexibility in their production schedule right now to—say—artfully write the main character out.
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Reports against Tambor first surfaced earlier this month when the Golden Globe winner’s former assistant published a Facebook post about her former employer. At the time, Tambor released a statement assuring fans Barnes was “disgruntled,” and asserted that he “adamantly and vehemently reject[s] and den[ies] any and all implication and allegation.”
Amazon launched a still-ongoing internal investigation. Show creator Jill Soloway said at the time, “Anything that would diminish the level of respect, safety and inclusion so fundamental to our workplace is completely antithetical to our principles. We are cooperating with the investigation into this matter.”
Since then, one of the show’s recurring guest stars has stepped forward with a harassment account of her own. Trace Lysette says that Tambor made “lewd, sexually suggestive, and unwelcomed remarks to her on a number of occasions,” and on one shoot in particular, “physically pressed up against Lysette in a sexually aggressive manner during a break in filming.”
It’s worth noting that Amazon has given no official word on its internal investigation yet, but a source claims the show’s staff has “contemplated a possible a fifth season without the show’s title and celebrated character.”
Actors and fans are calling on Netflix to adopt a similar strategy with House of Cards after Kevin Spacey’s harassment-related firing halted production on the show’s sixth season this month. Netflix has not yet announced what the final fate of the hit show will be.
Amazon Studios boss Roy Price resigned over sexual harassment reports this month.
