Arrested Development star Jason Bateman has apologised for strenuously defending co-star Jeffrey Tambor during a cast interview with the New York Times, despite Jessica Walter, another co-star, expressing her severe distress over Tambor’s prior verbal abuse.
Taking to Twitter following a significant backlash, Bateman said he did not condone Tambor’s past behaviour in the interview. However, he apologised for voicing comments that “completely underestimated” the obvious emotional toll Tambor’s outburst had on Walter.
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-— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
– 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..— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
… 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…— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
…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.— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
During the New York Times interview, Walter, on the verge of tears, said “in like almost 60 years of working, I’ve never had anybody yell at me like that on a set.”
In response, Bateman said “what we do for a living is not normal, and therefore the process is not normal sometimes, and to expect it to be normal is to not understand what happens on set.”
Bateman, along with male co-stars Will Arnett, Tony Hale, and David Cross, have all faced criticism for not challenging Tambor’s behaviour in the interview, or for appearing to contextualise it as the unintended consequence of a long, strained, and complex creative process.
Only Alia Shawkat voiced her opposition to that line of thought, saying “that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable.
“And the point is that things are changing, and people need to respect each other differently.”
The interview has challenged public perception of the beloved show, which will debut its fifth season on May 30.
