Jeffrey Tambor attending The 22nd Annual Critics’ Choice Awards in Santa Monica, Calif., Dec. 11, 2016. (Christopher Polk/Getty Images for The Critics’ Choice Awards )
(JTA) — Amazon Studios is investigating sexual harassment allegations against Jewish “Transparent” star Jeffrey Tambor.
The entertainment website Deadline first reported the investigation on Wednesday.
Tambor, 73, has won two Emmys portraying the transgender matriarch of a Jewish California family in “Transparent.” He is accused by his former assistant, Van Barnes, a 42-year-old transgender actress, of groping her, making sexual comments and propositioning her.
Barnes made the accusations in a private Facebook post that does not identify Tambor by name, Deadline reported.
Tambor denies the allegations.
“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 said in a statement first provided to 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.”
“Transparent” is on a regularly scheduled hiatus following a season largely set in Israel.
The show’s creator, Jill Soloway, provided a statement on the matter.
“Anything that would diminish the level of respect, safety and inclusion so fundamental to our workplace is completely antithetical to our principles,” she wrote. “We are cooperating with the investigation into this matter.”
Tambor is the latest in a series of high-profile Hollywood figures who have been accused of sexual harassment and other related crimes.
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