Armie Hammer started his career in 2005 with minor TV roles, later followed by blockbuster films that brought him prestigious nominations and critical acclaim. He established himself as one of the most charismatic and multi-talented actors in the industry for just a decade.
In the midst of his success as an actor, Armie Hammer became embroiled in a scandal over allegations of bizarre cannibalistic behavior and sexual abuse. It all started with Instagram posts from several women, who had romantic relationships with him. The leaked screenshots contained Armie Hammer’s texts, revealing a penchant for cannibalistic fantasies and controlling behavior. The claims made by both sides in the scandal are quite controversial, and need to be approached thoughtfully and objectively, taking into account different perspectives.
Еarly years and key achievements in the industry
Hammer spent his early years in Dallas, later moving with his family to the Cayman Islands and finally settled in Los Angeles. He admitted that he often misbehaved as a teenager, and was even casted out from school, after firing a lighter fluid in the schoolyard. Hammer dropped out of high school around 2001 in order to pursue a career as an actor.
Тhe first Armie Hammer’s movie roles were in “Arrested Development” (2005), “Veronica Mars” (2006), “Desperate Housewives” (2007) and “Gossip Girl” (2009). Armie Hammer’s “Gossip Girl” stint lasted four episodes before he was fired for making an offensive remark – allegedly about his co-star Blake Lively.
These minor Armie Hammer’s TV shows appearances gained him widespread recognition in late 2009, when he played the Winkelvoss twins in ‘The Social Network.’ Following this breakthrough success, he had starred in a number of films that had been poorly received by critics, including 2013’s “The Lone Ranger”. Later he appeared in more successful films such as ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E’ in 2015, ‘Nocturnal Animals’, ‘The Birth of a Nation’ and ‘Free Fire’ in 2016. Hammer’s career received a significant boost with his mesmerizing performance alongside Timothée Chalamet in the award-winning ‘Call Me By Your Name’ in 2017. The film was directed by Luca Guadagnino and starred Hammer in the role of Oliver, a young American student, who enters into an emotional relationship with Chalamet’s character. The film became an instant hit, earning recognition and first Armie Hammer’s actor nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Throughout his career, Hammer has demonstrated his versatility by playing a wide variety of heroic and villainous characters with equal credibility and skill.
The controversy surrounding allegations of cannibalistic behaviour and sexual abuse. The repercussions of the Armie Hammer scandal on his career and public image.
In January 2021, an Instagram account called @houseofeffie began sharing messages that were attributed to Hammer, conveying cannibalistic fantasies as well as references to sexual domination. The account owner said that several women, who claimed to have interacted with the actor, approached her with their own stories of abuse, sharing screenshots of their conversations with Hammer. In some of them, he allegedly said he wanted to “bite off pieces” of them. When the validity of the messages was questioned, @houseofeffie shared photos she claimed to have received from Hammer. One of the photos showed a hand with a tattoo on the ring finger, similar to the actor’s.
At a press conference in March 2021, the woman believed to be behind the anonymous account, accused the actor of a violent rape that lasted four hours, a charge he denied through his lawyer. In addition to sexual assault, he has been accused by exes of boundary violations, lack of respect for consent and psychological abuse. The actor’s lawyer Andrew Brettler denied the allegations, saying in a statement that all interactions between Hammer and his ex-partners were consensual.
Hammer’s ex-girlfriend, Courtney Vucekovich, had also spoken out about the trauma she claimed to have experienced during her relationship with Hammer. She said the actor once tied her up during a sexual act without her consent. Vucekovich also shared messages, showing Armie Hammer’s cannibal tendencies, stating: “I’m 100% a cannibal” and “I want to eat you”.
Another alleged victim of the actor was Paige Lorenze, who said he physically assaulted her and made her “show off” the marks, and “be proud of them”. According to Paige Lorenze, Armie Hammer sent naked photos of her to people without her knowledge. She also claimed that he had carved his initials into her skin with a knife, and had exerted a constant control over her, using psychological manipulation to subdue her emotionally.
The allegations made by Courtney Vucekovich and Paige Lorenze were part of The Discovery+ docu-series, entitled ‘House of Hammer’. It also explores the sordid secrets of Armie Hammer’s family and their controlling and abusive behavior that had existed for generations, as revealed by his Aunt Casey. She said her nephew’s tendencies were “deeply rooted” and inherited. Alongside the actor’s two alleged victims, she shared her painful memories of being sexually abused by her father. The Armie Hammer documentary release date was 2 September, 2022.
As a result of the sexual assault allegations, his career went into a sharp decline. Amid the ongoing Armie Hammer controversy, his upcoming projects fell through.
He quitted his role in ‘Shotgun Wedding’, starring Jennifer Lopez, and also stepped down from ‘The Offer’, a Paramount + TV series chronicling the making of the iconic ‘The Godfather’ film. In February 2021, Armie Hammer news broke that his agency, WME, had dropped him, as had his publicist. As the actor’s career continued to unravel, he was suspended from “Billion Dollar Spy” in March 2021, and in April that year he pulled out of a planned role in the Broadway play “The Minutes”. “Death on the Nile”was filmed from September to December 2019, before the allegations against Hammer came to light. Despite being one of the main characters in the film, he was erased from marketing materials before the film’s release in 2022, probably because of the allegations. Before his fall from grace, Armie Hammer’s net worth was $10 million. After the scandal broke, it changed drastically to around $100,000.
Personal and family life. What happened to Armie Hammer after the sexual abuse allegations?
As well as the downward spiral of his career, Armie Hammer’s personal life has also been affected by the scandalous revelations of the actor’s affairs.
On 10 July 2020, after 10 years of marriage and two children, Armie Hammer and Elizabeth Chambers announced their intention to divorce. In an Instagram post, she admitted to feeling “shocked, heartbroken and devastated” as she was trying to process everything that had happened, since Armie Hammer’s cannibalism and sexual abuse stories came to light.
However, after this dreadful experience, Armie Hammer’s wife supported him, when he decided to check into a treatment facility for drug, alcohol, and sex issues. He was funded to go there by Robert Downey Jr, who also allowed him to stay in one of the houses he owns in Los Angeles. Like Armie Hammer, Robert Downey Jr. had struggled against drug addiction in the past. In 1996, Downey was arrested for driving under the influence and for having heroin and cocaine, with a .357 Magnum in his vehicle. When it came to Robert Downey Jr, Armie Hammer said he saw him as an example of a man, who had gone through hard times and suffered what he called “a hero’s death”, then picked himself up and “found redemption through a new path”.
During Armie Hammer’s Cayman Islands stay, he admitted to having suicidal thoughts. In an interview, the actor also revealed that he was sexually abused as a child by a pastor when he was 13 years old, and that this trauma had left him with a distorted view of sexuality. Armie Hammer’s allegations continued with the confession that he was emotionally abusive towards women he had relationships with: “I’m here to own my mistakes, take accountability for the fact that I was an a–hole,” he said. “That I was selfish, that I used people to make me feel better, and when I was done, moved on. And treated people more poorly than they should have been treated.”
What is the situation with Armie Hammer now? He claims he’s a “healthier, happier, more balanced person” and he added, “I’m truly grateful for my life and my recovery and everything. I would not go back and undo everything that’s happened to me.”
Where is Armie Hammer now? In the years following the allegations, while living in the Cayman Islands, Armie Hammer was rumored to be working there as concierge at a local hotel. The management of the alleged hotel said Hammer was not a member of staff. But then photos circulated on social media, showing the actor in uniform, working on the islands as a timeshare salesman. His ex-wife and two children were also living in the Caymans at the time. It was widely suggested that Armie Hammer’s timeshare business was a way to support his family and get out of a financial crisis.
In November 2023 the actor made his return to Instagram, nearly four years after the accusations against him. He shared a new post on the social media platform, which was shot inside a moving train. It was set to the song “El Millonario” by Gitkin, but the actor didn’t appear in it. The Armie Hammer Instagram clip showed a laptop playing a video of a man running next to a horse.
After all the turmoil and trying to understand who Armie Hammer is, he seems to have found some peace of mind and a path to healing. Following an investigation by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office, no official charges were filed due to insufficient evidence. Time will tell if he will be able to overcome the “cancel culture” and redeem himself as an actor, and if audiences can distinguish his talent from his scandalous fame and mistakes.
FAQ
How tall is Armie Hammer?
Armie Hammer’s height is one of his most impressive physical attributes. With a towering 6 feet 5 inches’ frame, Hammer has established himself as one of the tallest actors in Hollywood. This is down to his genetics. He was born into a family of tall people. His father, Michael Armand Hammer, stands at 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm), while his grandfather, Armand Hammer, was 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm) tall.
Does Armie Hammer have a brother?
Armie Hammer’s brother is two years younger and is called Viktor, named after their great-granduncle Victor Hammer.
What is the Hammer family documentary about?
The Armie Hammer documentary is titled “House of Hammer” and tells the stories of two of the actor’s alleged victims. The women accuse him of physical violence, shared cannibalistic fantasies and psychological manipulation. Armie Hammer’s doc delves into the dark secrets of his wealthy family, detailing cases of homicide, criminal and abusive behavior.
What did Armie Hammer do?
In 2021, a woman accused Hammer of rape in April 2017, and Los Angeles police launched an investigation into the actor. Several other women came forward with allegations of sexual abuse and cannibalistic fantasies, leading to the decline of his Hollywood career.
Main Photo: Gage Skidmore