In November 2017, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of sexual harassment while on the set of Transparent, and although he has repeatedly denied the claims, he was officially fired from the show in February of this year. Nevertheless, he will still star in the new season of Arrested Development, set to premiere this month. Some of his fellow cast members have gone out of their way to stand up for Tambor, most notably David Cross.
In a New York Times interview with the cast published Wednesday, Jessica Walter, whose character is married to Tambor's, revealed she had been verbally abused by Tambor on set. Many were left with a bad taste in their mouth when the cast, including Jason Bateman and Tony Hale, stood up for Tambor and attempted to mansplain the industry to Walter—age 77 and with six decades acting—even as she was visibly emotional.
Jessica Walter received a Golden Globe nomination in 1971, when Jason Bateman was two years old, and he thinks he should explain to her how show business works.
Today, Bateman took to his Twitter to apologize for his behavior. “I’m horrified I wasn’t more aware of how this incident affected her,” he wrote. “I was so eager to let Jeffrey know that he was supported in his attempt to learn, grow and apologize that I completely underestimated the feelings of the victim.”
“I shouldn’t have tried so hard to mansplain, or fix a fight, or make everything okay,” he continued. “There’s never any excuse for abuse, in any form, from any gender. And, the victim’s voice needs to be heard and respected.”
Based on listening to the NYT interview and hearing people’s thoughts online, I realize that I was wrong here.
I sound like I’m condoning yelling at work. I do not.
It sounds like I’m excusing Jeffery. I do not.
It sounds like I’m insensitive to Jessica. I am not.
In fact, I’m-
- horrified that I wasn’t more aware of how this incident affected her.
I was so eager to let Jeffrey know that he was supported in his attempt to learn, grow and apologize that I completely underestimated the feelings of the victim, another person I deeply love - and she was..
... sitting right there!
I’m incredibly embarrassed and deeply sorry to have done that to Jessica. This is a big learning moment for me.
I shouldn’t have tried so hard to mansplain, or fix a fight, or make everything okay.
I should’ve focused more on what the most important...
...part of it all is - there’s never any excuse for abuse, in any form, from any gender. And, the victim’s voice needs to be heard and respected.
Period.
I didn’t say that and instead said a bunch of other stuff and not very well.
I deeply, and sincerely, apologize.
Shortly afterward, Hale also tweeted, saying he has apologized to Walter privately. “Arrested Development is one of my families. Regardless of my intentions, it is clear that my words, both said and unsaid, served to minimize Jessica’s pain and for that I am extremely sorry,” he wrote.
I have reached out to Jessica personally to apologize. Arrested Development is one of my families. Regardless of my intentions, it is clear that my words, both said and unsaid, served to minimize Jessica’s pain and for that I am extremely sorry.
Bateman and Hale's apologies underscore just how much work there is to do within Hollywood in particular and society in general. We've still got people standing up for those accused without thinking twice, enabling dangerous power imbalances in the workplace that allow men to be abusive toward women (and other men).
why the fuck would you be a dick to Jessica Walter when you could ask if she wants anything from craft services instead
“He never crossed the line on our show, with any, you know, sexual whatever,” Walter said, through tears, in the Times interview. “Verbally, yes, he harassed me, but he did apologize. I have to let it go. [Turns to Tambor.] And I have to give you a chance to, you know, for us to be friends again.”
Bateman then attempted to excuse Tambor’s behavior by saying that “in the entertainment industry it is incredibly common to have people who are, in quotes, ‘difficult.’”
“Jason says this happens all the time," Walter replied. "In like almost 60 years of working, I’ve never had anybody yell at me like that on a set.”
Hale chimed in to add that "we can be honest about the fact that...we’ve all had moments. ... I’m saying we’ve worked together 15 years, there has been other points of anger coming out."
Bateman then dug his heels in, saying "what we do for a living is not normal, and therefore the process is not normal sometimes... All I can say, personally, is I have never learned more from an actor that I’ve worked with than Jeffrey Tambor. And I consider him one of my favorite, most valued people in my life."
Walter later added that she would not have brought up the incident if Tambor had not mentioned it first in an interview with The Hollywood Reporterearlier this month; she would work with him again “in a heartbeat.”
