Arrested Development star Jessica Walter has directly addressed the confronting on-set behaviour of co-star Jeffrey Tambor, telling the New York Times that “in like almost 60 years of working, I’ve never had anybody yell at me like that on a set.”
In an emotional and wide-reaching discussion with the majority of the show’s cast, Walter, who plays Lucille Bluth on the cult classic comedy, said Tambor never sexually harassed her, but “verbally, yes, he harassed me, but he did apologize.”
But when asked if she would feel comfortable working with Tambor again, Walter said she would “in a heartbeat.”
“I’ve just given it up,” Walter said.
“And you know, there’s something really, really freeing about that now. I realize that. I don’t want to walk around with anger. I respect him as an actor.”
Tambor, who was present during the conversation, said he had “reckoned” with his behaviour.
Referencing his time on Transparent – a show from which he was fired last year amid allegations of sexual harassment – Tambor said “I had a temper and I yelled at people and I hurt people’s feelings.
“And that’s unconscionable, and I’m working on it and I’m going to put that behind me, and I love acting.”
Tambor denies the allegations of sexual harassment.
The discussion branched out to other mainstays on the show, who voiced their support for Tambor.
Tony Hale and David Cross said “we’ve all had moments” and “this kind of behavior that’s being described, it didn’t just come out of the blue,” respectively.
Jason Bateman put Tambor’s outbursts in the context of his creative practice, saying show business is “a weird thing, and it is a breeding ground for atypical behavior and certain people have certain processes.”
But Alia Shawkat demurred, saying “that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable.
“And the point is that things are changing, and people need to respect each other differently.”
Earlier, Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz voiced his support for Tambor despite the allegations from his time on Transparent.
“Am I going to cut Jeffrey out of the show, based on allegations that he disputes, that Amazon hasn’t shared, and that we have never experienced any complaints about?” Hurwitz said.
“No, of course I am not going to”.
You can read the full New York Times chat HERE.
