Jeffrey Tambor quits Amazon’s “Transparent” after being accused of sexual harassment

Jeffrey Tambor says he will leave Amazon Studios series “Transparent” after being accused of sexual harassment by two women. While Tambor continues to deny the allegations, he told Deadline that he does not want to continue working on “Transparent,” where he portrays lead character Maura Pfefferman, because of “the politicized atmosphere” on set.

Tambor’s decision comes less than a month after Amazon Studios’ head Roy Price, resigned after being accused of sexual harassment by Isa Hackett, a producer on “The Man in the High Castle,” the studio’s first series.

In his statement to Deadline today, Tambor said “I’ve already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue. Given the politicized atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don’t see how I can return to ‘Transparent.’”

As Deadline reports, however, “Transparent’s” team may have been getting ready to write Maura off the show since the Van Barnes, Tambor’s former assistant, made the first allegations against him earlier this month.

After Barnes wrote a private Facebook post accusing Tambor of propositioning and groping her, Amazon said it would conduct an investigation into Tambor’s behavior. Tambor denied Barnes’ allegations, but was then accused by a second woman, “Transparent” actress Trace Lysette, of making lewd remarks and thrusting himself against her. Tambor also denied he harassed Lysette.

Last week, GLAAD and “Transparent” writer Our Lady J both issued statements in support of Barnes and Lysette. GLAAD said “The show Transparent is bigger than one person and is home to some of the most talented trans people in Hollywood — both in front of the camera and behind. GLAAD stands with Trace in her hope that the inappropriate situations she and others endured on set will be remedied, and that future seasons will focus on more of the many brilliant characters that audiences love and care about.”

TechCrunch has contacted Amazon for comment.