Kim Kardashian's stepfather confirmed reports last month (Apr15) that he is making the transition from male to female during a U.S. TV special with newswoman Diane Sawyer, and was commended for his bravery in speaking so openly about the secret he kept hidden for decades.

As Tambor prepares to return to his role as a transgender mum on the second season of the acclaimed TV series, the actor looked to 65-year-old Jenner for inspiration on how to publicly deal with the massive change at an older age, just like his onscreen persona.

Tambor tells Vulture.com, "I did draw inspiration from Bruce. And, I'm saying this with love: We are people of a certain age. And, I don't mean that disrespectfully, because it's not always something that you want to admit to yourself. But it's true.

"In real life, Bruce showed tremendous courage by revealing himself to the world. And I thought about that while playing Maura. Having the courage to be honest about your gender, especially when you're no longer a young guy - that is incredibly brave."

Tambor, 70, earned his first Golden Globe award earlier this year (15) for his role as Mort/Maura in Transparent.