Jeffrey Tambor, the star of one of Amazon Studios’ biggest television series, is being investigated by the company for inappropriate behavior, it was reported on Wednesday. The news comes just weeks after Roy Price, the chief of the studio, was forced to resign after being suspended over claims related to his behavior.
Deadline reported that the allegations against Tambor were made by Van Barnes, a former assistant, in a private Facebook post. Deadline said that an Amazon spokesperson confirmed that an investigation was taking place and the entertainment website said it began earlier this week.
Tambor stars as Maura Pfefferman, the transgender head of a family in Los Angeles on the show “Transparent.” The Jill Soloway-created series has been a critical success for Amazon, and Tambor, 73, has won the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series twice for his portrayal.
“I am aware that a former disgruntled assistant of mine has made a private post implying that I had acted in an improper manner toward her,” Tambor told Deadline. “I adamantly and vehemently reject and deny any and all implication and allegation that I have ever engaged in any improper behavior toward this person or any other person I have ever worked with. I am appalled and distressed by this baseless allegation.”
GeekWire has reached out to Amazon for comment and will update this post when we hear back.
In the wake of allegations made against powerful Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein by numerous women, multiple stars have had to defend themselves against claims related to past behavior.
Actor Kevin Spacey, for instance, of the Netflix hit “House of Cards,” is among those being accused by more than one person of sexual misconduct. The show had to suspend production of the upcoming sixth season.
Amazon’s Price, who took over the studio in 2004, resigned less than a week after an executive producer for the television series “The Man in the High Castle” went public with details of a sexual harassment claim she had previously made against him.
