"Transparent" moves on without Jeffrey Tambor

Jeffrey Tambor. AP photo.

(AP) Transparent will officially be moving forward without its star, Jeffrey Tambor. 

Amazon confirmed Thursday that Tambor, who won acclaim for his portrayal of a transgender woman, would have no role on the show’s fifth season. The announcement followed an investigation into claims that the Emmy-winning actor had sexually harassed co-star Trace Lysette and his former personal assistant, Van Barnes. 

“I have great respect and admiration for Van Barnes and Trace Lysette, whose courage in speaking out about their experience on Transparent is an example of the leadership this moment in our culture requires,” the show’s creator, Jill Soloway, said in a statement cited by Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. “We are grateful to the many trans people who have supported our vision for Transparent since its inception and remain heartbroken about the pain and mistrust their experience has generated in our community.

“We are taking definitive action to ensure our workplace respects the safety and dignity of every individual, and are taking steps to heal as a family.”

Tambor had been facing an uncertain future on Transparent after the harassment allegations surfaced last fall. The actor, who played Maura Pfefferman, implied in a Nov. 19 statement that he would not return to the show in the wake of the claims. 

Just weeks later, however, his representative told The New York Times that the actor had no plans to quit.

The Transparent creative team now faces the challenge of continuing the Amazon series without Tambor’s involvement. One of the show’s writers, Our Lady J, voiced her support for the move in November. 

“Any abuse of power is inexcusable, but hearing the stories of Van and Trace have particularly shattered me. I honor the strength and courage that it must have taken for them to tell their truth,” she said at the time. “We cannot let trans content be taken down by a single cis man.”

The Gayly. February 16, 2018. 10:16 a.m. CST.