Update (19 November): Jeffrey Tambor has quit Amazon's Transparent in the wake of sexual harassment allegations against the actor.
He said in a statement: "Playing Maura Pfefferman on Transparent has been one of the greatest privileges and creative experiences of my life. What has become clear over the past weeks, however, is that this is no longer the job I signed up for four years ago.
"I've already made clear my deep regret if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being aggressive, but the idea that I would deliberately harass anyone is simply and utterly untrue. Given the politicised atmosphere that seems to have afflicted our set, I don't see how I can return to Transparent."
Update (17 November): Following fresh allegations of sexual harassment from Jeffrey Tambor's Transparent co-star Trace Lysette, the writers of the Amazon series are now considering killing off the character of Maura Pfefferman and continuing the show without her (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Series creator Jill Soloway is expected to address the situation while speaking at a panel on Saturday. Tambor is denying Trace Lysette's accusations.
Original: Transparent may be completely overhauled in the wake of a sexual harassment allegation against its Emmy Award-winning star Jeffrey Tambor.
Tambor has been accused of – and has "adamantly and vehemently" denied – sexually harassing a former assistant, leading Transparent's studio Amazon to open a formal investigation.
The scandal started playing out last week just as Transparent's writers were reconvening to work on ideas for the fifth season – which Amazon Prime Video commissioned back in August.
Now, Deadline is reporting that the writing team led by Jill Soloway is considering various ways to overhaul the show, including writing out Tambor's character Maura Pfefferman.
If that does come to pass, the Transparent team is also giving serious thought to changing the name of the series moving forward. Amazon has yet to comment on these latest reports.
Tambor won back-to-back Best Actor Emmy Awards for his portrayal of newly-out trans woman Maura Pfefferman in a bittersweet comedy series that explores the impact of late-in-life transition on the dysfunctional Pfefferman family.
Amazon's rival studio Netflix has also put pressure on the writers of fellow Emmy winner House of Cards to reshuffle its cast for the final season in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations levelled against star Kevin Spacey.
In the case of Transparent, Tambor strongly denied any wrongdoing days after the accusations from his former assistant were shared on Facebook.
"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," he said.
"I adamantly and vehemently reject and deny any and all implication and allegation that I have ever engaged in any improper behaviour toward this person or any other person I have ever worked with. I am appalled and distressed by this baseless allegation."
Transparent premiered its most recent season worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on 21 September.
