Jason Bateman apologizes for defending Jeffrey Tambor's verbal harassment of Jessica Walter on 'Arrested Development' set: 'I shouldn't have tried so hard to mansplain'
Jason Bateman is sorry for mansplaining.
Comments that he and other male Arrested Development stars made defending Jeffrey Tambor’s verbal harassment of their co-star Jessica Walter in an interview with the New York Times weren’t well received — and Bateman says he got the message loud and clear.
Based on listening to the NYT interview and hearing people’s thoughts online, I realize that I was wrong here.
I sound like I’m condoning yelling at work. I do not.
It sounds like I’m excusing Jeffery. I do not.
It sounds like I’m insensitive to Jessica. I am not.
In fact, I’m-— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
– horrified that I wasn’t more aware of how this incident affected her.
I was so eager to let Jeffrey know that he was supported in his attempt to learn, grow and apologize that I completely underestimated the feelings of the victim, another person I deeply love – and she was..— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
… sitting right there!
I’m incredibly embarrassed and deeply sorry to have done that to Jessica. This is a big learning moment for me.
I shouldn’t have tried so hard to mansplain, or fix a fight, or make everything okay.
I should’ve focused more on what the most important…— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
…part of it all is – there’s never any excuse for abuse, in any form, from any gender. And, the victim’s voice needs to be heard and respected.
Period.I didn’t say that and instead said a bunch of other stuff and not very well.
I deeply, and sincerely, apologize.— Jason Bateman (@batemanjason) May 24, 2018
The interview with most of the cast ran on Wednesday, and it was emotional as the reunited ensemble spoke about Tambor’s work behavior, which has been a hot topic since he was fired from Transparent in February after being accused of sexual harassment. Tambor denied the allegations but admitted in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter to being “volatile and ill-tempered,” noting that it happened on the set of Arrested Development too, including a “blowup” with Walter, his onscreen wife.
The NYT reporter asked Walter about that incident, and she said, “In like almost 60 years of working, I’ve never had anybody yell at me like that on a set.” Bateman quickly jumped to Tambor’s defense, saying all actors have their “processes.”
He continued: “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.’ … It’s a very amorphous process … you know, making up fake life. It’s a weird thing, and it is a breeding ground for atypical behavior, and certain people have certain processes.” (Pretty much everything Bateman said about Tambor was gushing, though: “All I can say, personally, is I have never learned more from an actor that I’ve worked with than Jeffrey Tambor. And I consider him one of my favorite, most valued people in my life.”)
Alia Shawkat, the only other female star present for the interview, was quick to say: “But that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable.” However, David Cross immediately defended Tambor, saying, “He learned from the experience and he’s listening and learning and growing. That’s important to remember.” Tony Hale did too, noting, “We’ve all had moments.”
Here were some of the online criticisms of Bateman’s comments, leading with our own TV critic Ken Tucker:
Jesus, that @nytimes Arrested Development piece: Jessica Walter vulnerable, strong & forgiving; Tambor withholding, supercilious; Bateman carries Tambor's water. I don't want to watch Ozark s2 now.
— kentucker (@kentucker) May 24, 2018
Great interview. I learned two things about a show I love.
1) What a tough, mature, graceful person Jessica Walter is.
2) All the men, esp Jason Bateman, are shockingly dismissive of Walter's awful treatment by Jeffrey Tambor. Way to mansplain her situation, guys. https://t.co/MVUswlBMVm
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) May 23, 2018
I had to stop reading after the ninth time Jason Bateman interrupted a crying 77-year-old woman to say that she was over-reacting to what an entire room of people agreed was abuse https://t.co/S8csmeTY2S
— Kaitlin Menza (@heykmenz) May 23, 2018
Also striking: Jason Bateman, several times, said Tambor's behavior on set was normal in show business.
Jessica Walter interjected: "You’ve never yelled at me like that."
Again, with Tambor sitting right there. pic.twitter.com/LlLN22LVx2
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) May 23, 2018
one small but very striking thing from that nyt arrested development interview: jason bateman essentially explaining "how the industry works" to jessica walter, as if she isn't an accomplished veteran of the same industry.
— david bynch (@soalexgoes) May 23, 2018
Dear Jason Bateman, if you have to say "not to belittle your experience" multiple times you are absolutely belittling the experience. https://t.co/msOtCdK7qZ
— Allison Raskin (@AllisonRaskin) May 24, 2018
Bad day to be a Jason Bateman fan. And also to be Jason Bateman. https://t.co/RN3oUoWffW
— Lauren Cox (@Iaurencox) May 23, 2018
This is an amazing illustration of the boys club mentality in action. Looking at you, Jason Bateman https://t.co/n7hUdCwifm
— Emma Gray (@emmaladyrose) May 23, 2018
*crosses Jason Bateman off the list*
— Nichole ??? (@tnwhiskeywoman) May 23, 2018
Jason Bateman: “Well, that interview went great!”
Narrator: “It didn’t.”— John Wellington Ennis (@johnennis) May 23, 2018
Walter did say during the interview that she was ready to forgive Tambor. “I have to let it go,” she said. “And I have to give you a chance to, you know, for us to be friends again.” She said she would work with him again “in a heartbeat.”
As reported, Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz also defended Tambor in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Asked why he decided not to stop working with the star after his Transparent firing, he said, “Am I going to cut Jeffrey out of the show, based on allegations that he disputes … and that we have never experienced any complaints about? No, of course I am not going to.” He also said that everything was shot before the sexual harassment accusations were made against Tambor by a Tranparent actress and his former personal assistant.
Season 5 of Arrested Development will be available on Netflix on May 29.
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