For years, Armie Hammer was a persona non grata in Hollywood. Now the actor has given his first extensive interview in years to the US trade publication "The Hollywood Reporter". In it, the 39-year-old speaks openly about his professional downfall and takes responsibility. "I created these problems for myself", he says.
From celebrated rising star to industry outcast
For a long time, Hammer was considered one of the film industry's greatest young talents. He had his breakthrough in David Fincher's "The Social Network", in which he portrayed both Winklevoss twins. Productions like "Lone Ranger" and "Codename U.N.C.L.E." followed. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance in the romantic drama "Call Me by Your Name". As the great-grandson of oil magnate Armand Hammer, he also brought a name that still adorns buildings in Los Angeles to this day.
The downfall
Then came the scandal in 2021: Several women made serious allegations of psychological and intimate violence. A woman with whom he allegedly had a years-long affair outside his marriage accused him of assault. Hammer denied the allegations. An investigation by the Los Angeles police was later closed without charges. Messages from Hammer to several women caused further disturbance, in which he expressed cannibalism fantasies. In an interview with Piers Morgan in 2024, Hammer admitted to repeatedly cheating on his then-wife Elizabeth Chambers with numerous partners. He described the text messages about his fantasies in the interview as purely metaphorical and verbal role-play.
Professionally, however, he did not survive the scandal. His agency dropped him, his PR consultant was gone. For five years, he didn't receive a single role offer. At times, he lived in a tiny apartment in Venice Beach and bought groceries with a friend's debit card. Later, he moved to the Cayman Islands, where he also cared for his seriously ill father until his death.
Looking back, Hammer struggles in the interview to find an explanation for his lifestyle at the time. "I used to call myself a consumer", he says. Recognition, experiences, alcohol - he always wanted more without ever feeling satisfied. Added to this was a feeling of not really belonging.
A German director as gatekeeper
The turning point came from an email from Germany, of all places. Director Uwe Boll wanted Hammer for a film - the first offer in five years. "I think I cried", the actor recalls. "I would have done a darn cat food commercial. I just wanted to work again."
The film, shot in Croatia, is titled "Citizen Vigilante". Since then, Hammer has completed three more low-budget productions, including the Western "Frontier Crucible" and the thriller "Night Driver". A professional team no longer supports him: no agency, no manager, no PR consultant.
"I didn't do what people claim"
He's not completely innocent in his current situation, Hammer admits in the conversation. "This didn't happen to me through some stupid coincidence", he says. "I didn't do what people claim. But I let very dangerous people into my life and angered people around me - and now here we are."
He knows that his reputation continues to be an obstacle. He compares the way back to a famous mythological figure: "It's like Sisyphus rolling the rock up the mountain - except my rock is smeared with Vaseline." But he wouldn't undo anything, Hammer says. He describes the state he was in before his downfall as unhealthy: "Healthy people don't behave the way I behaved."
