Thomas Middleditch has returned to shooting Silicon Valley after T.J. Miller left the series and sexual-assault allegations later appeared against him. Middleditch discussed his reaction to Miller’s departure and those claims in a new interview with the AV Club. “I think by the end everybody knew that that was the right move,†he said of Miller’s departure. “No one wants to be either on a show that they’re kind of ready to move on from, or around someone who’s on a show that they are ready to move on from.†Of the allegations against Miller, Middleditch said that “people who know him, sure, we chat about it†but that he’s not familiar enough with them to comment on them directly. “It’s kind of scary,†he does say. “With this fervor that’s surrounding it, where an allegation can just pop up and then it’s really incumbent upon you to fervently defend your character. I’m not gonna dive into what’s real or not. I’m just saying it’s a little bit scary.â€
To that end, Middleditch says that the attention surrounding Aziz Ansari, who was accused of sexual misconduct by a photographer, isn’t merited. “I thought the whole Aziz Ansari thing was kind of absurd,†he said. “There’s a difference between assault and just kind of strange sex.†While Middleditch avoids elaborating further on the subject, he concludes by saying, “It’s like we live in a world where currently the climate, let’s say, is where a j’accuse will really turn your world upside down.â€