Hollywood stars Sizemore and Tambor deny sexual misconduct claims

Two more US actors have denied allegations of sexual misconduct amid a growing wave of reports of abuse and inappropriate behaviour.

Saving Private Ryan star Tom Sizemore addressed recent allegations that he groped an 11-year-old Utah girl during a 2003 photo shoot, saying he never inappropriately touched her and calling the claims “highly disturbing”.

Jeffrey Tambor, star of acclaimed Amazon TV series Transparent, denied claims by an actress on the show who said he pressed his body against hers in a sexually aggressive manner and made inappropriate and unwanted sexual statements on the set.

The denials came after a police report released on Wednesday said the child actor in Utah reported that Sizemore kissed and groped her during production of a movie eventually titled Born Killers.

Utah prosecutors declined to file charges, citing witness and evidence problems.

The police report said a woman responsible for children on set did not see inappropriate touching.

A production company lawyer said Sizemore had been fired, although he remains listed as a cast member on the Internet Movie Database.

Sizemore’s career has included roles in Black Hawk Down, Heat and Pearl Harbour, but he has been dogged by drug abuse and domestic violence arrests in recent years.

Tambor, 73, who plays the transgender matriarch of the Pfefferman family on Transparent, denies the allegations by Trace Lysette, saying in a statement that he has “never been a predator — ever”.

Ms Lysette, who is transgender, said in a statement that when she appeared on set in a lingerie top and shorts for a scene with Tambor, he said: “My God, Trace. I want to attack you sexually.”

She said she and another actress laughed off the remark, but then Tambor approached her between scenes a few minutes later.

“He came in close, put his bare feet on top of mine so I could not move, leaned his body against me, and began quick, discreet thrusting back and forth against my body. I felt his penis on my hip through his thin pyjamas.”

She urged Amazon in her statement to “remove the problem and let the show go on”.

Amazon Studios said it is adding the information to an investigation of Tambor it opened last week when his assistant made similar allegations, which he also denied, calling her “disgruntled”.

Tambor, also known for a string of film roles and TV shows such as Arrested Development and The Larry Sanders Show, said in a statement that he can be difficult to work with, but denied any sexual misbehaviour.

“I am deeply sorry if any action of mine was ever misinterpreted by anyone as being sexually aggressive or if I ever offended or hurt anyone,” he said.

“But the fact is, for all my flaws, I am not a predator and the idea that someone might see me in that way is more distressing than I can express.”