Jason Bateman has been dragged for defending Jeffrey Tambor in a New York Times interview
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actor Jeffrey Tambor (L) receives the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series award for ‘Transparent’, from actor Jason Bateman onstage during The 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. 25650_013 (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Turner)
Arrested Development fans are calling out Jason Bateman after he leapt to the defence of accused harasser and co-star Jeffrey Tambor in a New York Times interview.
Bateman, who plays Michael Bluth in the programme, has riled fans for his “tone deaf” justifications of Tambor’s alleged abusive behaviour towards his former Transparent co-star and assistant Trace Lysette and Van Barnes.
“I consider him one of my most favourite, one of the most valued people in my life,” he told the publication in the interview.
Actor Jeffrey Tambor (and actor Jason Bateman (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty)
“I have never learned more from an actor that I’ve worked with than Jeffrey Tambor.”
The tense interview, which also included Arrested Development co-stars David Cross, Alia Shakwat, Will Arnett, Jessica Walter and Tony Hale, saw Walter recount the time Tambor “verbally assaulted” her.
Walter ended up in tears recounting the experience.
“In like almost 60 years of working, I’ve never had anybody yell at me like that on a set. And it’s hard to deal with, but I’m over it now,” she told the publication.
Jessica Walter attends the premiere of Netflix’s ‘Arrested Development’ Season 5 at Netflix FYSee Theater on May 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty)
Bateman then said that “we’ve all had our moments” and the incident is something that “happens on set.”
“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 tries to explain.
“But that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable,” countered Shakwat, who plays Maeby Bluth in the programme.
(Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty)
Fans of the show have expressed their disappointment at Bateman’s interjections, with some saying they will be boycotting the new series of the hit comedy series.
Others said that Bateman’s responses let Tambor “off the hook.”
To date, Tambor has denied the allegations made by his Transparent co-star and former assistant.
“I am profoundly disappointed in Amazon’s handling of these false accusations against me,” replied Tambor.
“I am even more disappointed in Jill Soloway’s unfair characterisation of me as someone who would ever cause harm to any of my fellow cast mates.
“In our four-year history of working together on this incredible show, these accusations have never been revealed or discussed directly with me or anyone at Amazon.
“Therefore, I can only surmise that the investigation against me was deeply flawed and biased toward the toxic politicised atmosphere that afflicted our set.”
