Alia Shawkat Speaks on the Jeffrey Tambor Allegations: “I Support the Voices of the Victims”

Back in February Arrested Development actor David Cross, came out in support of his co-star Jeffrey Tambor when allegations against Tambor became public.

David Cross also said that many members of the cast “stand behind” the actor and are hopeful he will return for the upcoming fifth season. “I can’t speak for everybody, but I know there are a number of us who stand behind him,” Cross said, “from the limited amount we know, we stand behind Jeffrey — and I am one of them.”

Well, actress Alia Shawkat, who played Tambor’s granddaughter, Mae “Maeby” Fünke, is not one of them. In an interview with IndieWire, Shawkat spoke about the allegations and where she stands on the issue.

“I was surprised, obviously. I’ve known him since I was very young,” Shawkat told IndieWire while promoting her new movie, Duck Butter. “I support the voices of the victims though, whatever they said.”

She continued on to say:

Transparent and Amazon did their own investigations. It’s being handled the way it’s being handled. It’s very…strange. I know a lot of actresses [who] work with people…this is happening to, [but] we don’t have personal understandings of it…And I worked with him on two shows, too, so it’s kind of following me around. I hope it’s all handled legally, the way it should be, and taken into consideration.

I’m an actor, I worked with him. It’s not about sharing my personal opinion of him…What those victims said needs to be heard just as much. And that’s the facts, that’s just the truth of it. And they can’t be squashed down because of something else. But it is also, you know, it is sad, too.”

For those unaware, Tambor was accused of sexual harassment by his former assistant, Van Barnes, in December of last year. Which included propositioning her for sex, admitting to watching her naked without her permission, and pressing her up against a wall on set and thrust his pelvis against her.

Shawkat is the first cast member to speak out in support of Tambor’s alleged victims. Other than Cross and Jason Bateman who have both supported Tambor, the rest have remained silent on the issue.

(via Jezebel, image: Moxie Pictures)

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