Armie Hammer Plots Comeback: New Movie, Podcast And Return To LA After Abuse Allegations

Topline

Armie Hammer will return to acting for the first time in three years with a role in an upcoming western film, he announced Wednesday, just days after revealing he would launch a podcast—part of his attempt to reclaim his Hollywood career after sexual abuse allegations (which he has denied) lost him multiple film roles and prompted his move to the Cayman Islands.

Key Facts

Hammer will star in “Frontier Crucible,” an upcoming western also starring Thomas Jane and directed by Travis Mills, which Deadline reported was pitched as “‘Reservoir Dogs’ meets ‘Bone Tomahawk.’”

The role will be Hammer’s first appearance on screen since 2022, when he starred in “Death on the Nile,” and will be his first time filming a project since he was dropped by numerous films in 2021 after multiple women accused Hammer of sexual abuse, for which he never faced charges.

Hammer also announced earlier this week he would launch a podcast, “Armie HammerTime,” which he billed as a career comeback, on which he will interview people “from all walks of life as he rebuilds his own.”

Hammer’s return to the spotlight comes after he gradually built back up his social media presence, with several Instagram posts made over the past year after he moved back to Los Angeles from the Cayman Islands, where he reportedly worked selling timeshares.

Hammer has also made multiple media appearances in recent months, including an interview with Bill Maher in July, where he said he is “broke” but “happier than ever” after the abuse allegations, which he called “brutal.”

Surprising Fact

The brief description of Hammer’s podcast on his website makes a joke ostensibly about the allegations multiple women made that Hammer had sexual cannibalistic fantasies about them. “Don’t worry… we feed him before every episode,” the description reads.

What Was Hammer Accused Of?

Hammer was accused of sexual abuse by multiple women in 2021, though he faced no charges after a police investigation. Hammer’s ex-girlfriend, Efrosina Angelova, accused Hammer in March 2021 of raping her in April 2017, stating at a press conference she “thought that he was going to kill me.” She said the incident was physically violent, alleging he repeatedly slammed her head against a wall and beat her feet so that they hurt while she walked. Hammer’s lawyers slammed the allegations as “outrageous” and claimed all of his sexual interactions with Angelova were “completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory.” Before Angelova publicly accused Hammer of rape, she had anonymously uploaded screenshots to Instagram under an account titled “House of Effie” depicting messages allegedly sent by Hammer detailing cannibalistic fantasies. In one message, Hammer allegedly asked to “cut off one of your toes and keep it with me in my pocket so I always had a piece of you in my possession,” and in another, allegedly described himself as “100 per cent a cannibal.” Hammer called the messages “bullshit” in a statement to Page Six, announcing he would step away from his role in the film “Shotgun Wedding.” Another ex-girlfriend, Courtney Vucekovich, told Page Six Hammer told her he wanted to “break my rib and barbecue and eat it,” while another ex, Paige Lorenze, told Page Six Hammer would allegedly brand her with a knife and inflict bruises. Hammer’s lawyers said in a statement his sexual encounters were always consensual.

What Happened To The Police Investigation?

The Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation into the 2017 rape claim against Hammer in March 2021. Two years later, it announced it would not charge Hammer because there was insufficient evidence to prove a forcible, nonconsensual sexual encounter.

How Has Hammer Responded To The Allegations?

In an interview with Air Mail in 2023, Hammer denied any criminal wrongdoing but admitted the “power dynamics were off,” which he attributed to himself wanting to have control in his sexual relationships after being sexually abused by a youth pastor when he was 13.

Key Background

Hammer had a successful career in film prior to the sexual abuse allegations. In one of his first major roles, he played both identical billionaire twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in “The Social Network” (2010). He also received several award nominations for his performance in the gay romantic drama “Call Me By Your Name” (2017). In 2021, Hammer dropped out of multiple film roles and was replaced by Will Arnett in Taika Waititi’s film, “Next Goal Wins” (2023), who stepped in to reshoot Hammer’s scenes.

Hammer’s Family Fortune

Hammer descends from an oil fortune, built by his great-grandfather Armand Hammer, who was the former president and CEO of Occidental Petroleum. Armand Hammer, who died in 1990 at age 92, was the lowest-ranking person on the Forbes 400 list in 1985, with an estimated net worth of $150 million. Beyond his oil business, Hammer was also known for meetings with Soviet Union leaders, and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev offered condolences after his death and said he was key in forging Soviet-American relations.

Tangent

Hammer is one of several actors whose careers have been derailed by sexual assault allegations who are now attempting to make a comeback. Actor Kevin Spacey, who was accused by multiple men of sexual misconduct in 2017 but won trials in both New York and London, has pivoted to a film career in Italy and received a lifetime achievement award in the country this summer. Johnny Depp also pivoted to an international film career after his highly publicized defamation case against ex-girlfriend Amber Heard, starring in the French film “Jeanne du Barry” in 2023 and directing “Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness,” which will have an Italian theatrical release in November.