'Transparent' actress accuses Jeffrey Tambor of sexual harassment
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Jeffrey Tambor, star of the award-winning Amazon show "Transparent," has been accused of sexual harassment by two women.
The latest accuser, Trace Lysette, a transgender actress who plays yoga instructor Shea on the show, claimed in a lengthy statement on Twitter, that Tambor made "many sexual advances and comments" toward her and "one time it got physical" while filming season 2.
Lysette said that while filming a scene with Tambor, he first seemingly joked, "My God, Trace. I want to attack you sexually."
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"He came in close, put his bare feet on top of mine so I could not move, leaned his body against me," she alleged.
In a statement to ABC News, Tambor responded to Lysette's accusations.
"I know I haven’t always been the easiest person to work with. I can be volatile and ill-tempered, and too often I express my opinions harshly and without tact," he said. "But I have never been a predator — ever. I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone. But the fact is, for all my flaws, I am not a predator and the idea that someone might see me in that way is more distressing than I can express."
Amazon Prime VideoLysette's claims comes days after his former personal assistant, Van Barnes, leveled sexual harassment accusations against the actor.
Due to a nondisclosure agreement signed by the trans actress, Barnes' lawyer told The Hollywood Reporter she couldn't elaborate on the claims. Still, details leaked out about Barnes' claims in a private Facebook post.
ABC News reached out to Barnes' lawyer, but didn't immediately hear back.
Still, a rep for Amazon told Deadline that it had initiated an investigation over Barnes' claims.
Amazon has not responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
John Shearer/WireImage/Getty ImagesTambor, 73, responded to Barnes's accusations in a statement.
"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 told Deadline in a statement. "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."
When asked about Lysette's claims, Amazon told The Hollywood Reporter that it's adding "this information will be added to our ongoing conversation."
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