Tearful Jessica Walter Says Jeffrey Tambor 'Verbally Harassed Me' on Arrested Development Set
For the first time since Arrested Development aired in 2003, actress Jessica Walter has publicly revealed that her onscreen husband, actor Jeffrey Tambor “verbally harassed” her on set.
During a candid cast interview with the New York Times, Walter, 77, and Tambor, 73, – who portray George Oscar Bluth, Sr. and Lucille Bluth – discussed the past incident in person as she forgave him in front of costars Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Alia Shawkat and David Cross.
“I have to let go of being angry at him,” Walter tearfully told Tambor, who was sitting only a few feet away from her. “[In] 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.”
Walter added, “I have to let go of being angry at him. He never crossed the line on our show, with any, you know, sexual whatever. Verbally, yes, he harassed me, but he did apologize. I have to let it go. I have to give you a chance to, you know, for us to be friends again.”
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Tambor first mentioned the “one blowup” with Walter on Arrested Development in an interview earlier this month with The Hollywood Reporter, telling the publication that he has “profusely apologized.”
During the NYT interview, Tambor also brought up the apology when asked if he had reckoned with the incident involving Walter.
“I have, and am continuing to do. And I profusely have apologized. Walter is indeed a walking acting lesson,” he said.
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“And on Transparent, you know, 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,” Tambor shared, referencing the allegations of inappropriate behavior and sexual harassment on the Amazon set that prompted his exit in February.
“I’m going to put that behind me, and I love acting,” Tambor added.
Bateman, 49, also commented on Tambor’s behavior, telling his castmates, “Not to belittle it or excuse it or anything, but in the entertainment industry it is incredibly common to have people who are, in quotes, ‘difficult.’ ”
To which, Shawkat, 29, responded: “But that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. And the point is that things are changing, and people need to respect each other differently.”
RELATED: Jeffrey Tambor Denies Sexual Harassment Allegations But Admits He Was ‘Difficult’ and ‘Mean’
Though Walter spoke out about Tambor’s verbal harassment for the first time, she revealed the past incident will not prevent her from working with him in the future.
“I don’t want to walk around with anger. I respect him as an actor. We’ve known each other for years and years and years,” she said, adding, “Of course, I would work with him again in a heartbeat.”
On Friday, Walter joined Tambor on the red carpet at the season 5 premiere in Los Angeles, which marked his first red carpet since his departure from Transparent.
Tambor, who walked the red carpet with his wife Kasia Ostlun, told Entertainment Tonight he was feeling “great” when asked about being back in the spotlight after a tumultuous year.
At the premiere, Cross stood by his earlier defense of Tambor, saying, “I don’t condone any actions. It doesn’t necessarily mean I’m going to just stop being somebody’s friend, you know? I support him as a human being as a person.”
Season 5 of Arrested Development premieres on Netflix May 29.
