Armie Hammer

Armand Douglas Hammer (born August 28, 1986) is an American actor. He began his acting career with guest appearances in several television series. His first leading role was as Billy Graham in the 2008 film '' Billy: The Early Years'' and Hammer gained wider recognition for portraying the twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss in David Fincher's biopic ''The Social Network'' (2010).

Hammer portrayed Clyde Tolson in the biopic '' J. Edgar'' (2011), played the titular character in the western '' The Lone Ranger'' (2013), and starred as Illya Kuryakin in the action film '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'' (2015). In 2017, he starred in Luca Guadagnino's romantic drama '' Call Me by Your Name'', for which he received a nomination for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. The following year, Hammer portrayed Martin D. Ginsburg in the biopic '' On the Basis of Sex'' (2018). On Broadway, he starred in a production of '' Straight White Men'' in 2018.

In 2021, multiple women came forward with claims of abuse against Hammer. Hammer denied the allegations, which derailed his acting career; he abandoned several future projects and was dropped by his talent agency and publicist. After an investigation into Hammer by the LA County District Attorney and the LAPD, they declined to pursue criminal charges against him, citing insufficient evidence. Hammer returned to acting in 2024.

Early life and background

Armand Douglas Hammer was born on August 28, 1986, in Santa Monica, California. His mother, Dru Ann (née Mobley), is a former bank loan officer, and his father, Michael Armand Hammer, owned several businesses, including Knoedler Publishing and Armand Hammer Productions, a film/television production company. He has a younger brother, Viktor, named after their great-granduncle Victor Hammer.

Hammer has described his background as "half Jewish". His paternal great-grandfather was oil tycoon and philanthropist Armand Hammer, whose parents were Jewish emigrants to the U.S. from the Russian Empire. Armand's father, Julius Hammer, was from Odesa and was an early activist in the U.S. Communist Party in New York. Armie's paternal great-grandmother was the Russian-born actress and singer Baroness Olga Vadimovna von Root, from Sevastopol, the daughter of a tsarist general. His paternal grandmother was from Texas, while his mother's family is from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Hammer resided in Highland Park, Texas, an affluent town in the Dallas area, for several years. When he was seven, his family moved to the Cayman Islands, where they lived for five years, and then settled in Los Angeles. While residing in the Cayman Islands, he attended Faulkner's Academy in Governor's Harbour and Grace Christian Academy (a school founded by his father) in West Bay, Grand Cayman. As a teen, he attended Los Angeles Baptist High School in the San Fernando Valley. He dropped out of high school in eleventh grade to pursue an acting career. However, he subsequently took college courses at UCLA. Hammer said his parents disowned him when he decided to leave school and take up acting but later became supportive and proud of his work.

Career

2005–2015: Early work and breakthrough

Hammer's professional acting career began with small guest appearances in the television series '' Arrested Development'', ''Veronica Mars'', '' Gossip Girl'', '' Reaper'' and '' Desperate Housewives''. His first ventures into film began with a minor role in the 2006 film '' Flicka'', as well as co-starring in a 2008 psychological thriller, '' Blackout''. His first leading role in film came with his portrayal of the Christian evangelist Billy Graham in '' Billy: The Early Years'', which premiered in October 2008. The film garnered Hammer a "Faith and Values Award" nomination in the Grace Award category, which is awarded for the Most Inspiring Performance in Movie or Television by Mediaguide, an organization that provides movie reviews from a Christian perspective.

After a long search, Hammer was hand-picked in 2007 by filmmaker George Miller to star in the planned superhero film ''Justice League: Mortal'', as Batman/Bruce Wayne. The film, which was to be directed by Miller, was eventually canceled. The film's cancellation came in large part due to the looming 2007–08 Writers Guild of America strike as well as stalled budgetary rebate negotiations with the Australian Government. In 2009, he played Harrison Bergeron in ''2081'', based on the short story of the same name by author Kurt Vonnegut, which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival.

In 2010 Hammer's breakthrough film role was in David Fincher's ''The Social Network'', about the creation of Facebook. He portrayed the identical twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, with actor Josh Pence serving as a body double during filming. The filmmakers utilized computer-generated imagery during post-production to superimpose Hammer's face over Pence's as well as the use of split-screen photography in certain scenes. In preparation for the film, Hammer stated that he had to learn how to row on both sides of a boat in order to play the twins, who are rowing champions. Hammer and Pence also went through 10 months of extensive twin boot camp in preparation for their roles, in order to "drill the subtle movements and speech patterns that the Winklevosses would have developed over two decades of genetic equality." This film earned Hammer his first critical plaudits, with Richard Corliss of ''Time'' magazine remarking that Hammer's portrayal of the twins was "an astonishingly subtle trompe l'oeil of special effects". For his role in the film, Hammer won Toronto Film Critics Association Awards for Best Supporting Actor.

His next role was that of the first associate director of the FBI, Clyde Tolson, in Clint Eastwood's 2011 film '' J. Edgar''. The biographical drama, written by Dustin Lance Black, focused on the expansive career of J. Edgar Hoover, of which the titular role was portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio. The acting was largely praised, with David Denby of ''The New Yorker'' calling Hammer's performance "charming", and ''The Hollywood Reporter''s Todd McCarthy describing it as "excellent". McCarthy goes on further in his review to particularly praise the chemistry between DiCaprio and Hammer, specifically in their depiction of the often speculated romantic relationship between their characters, pointing out that, "...the way the homoerotic undertones and impulses are handled is one of the best things about the film; the emotional dynamics, given all the social and political factors at play, feel entirely credible, and DiCaprio and Hammer excel during the exchanges of innuendo, covert desire, recriminations and mutual understanding." Despite this, the film received mixed reviews overall, in part due to the direction and writing, as well as pointed criticism of the makeup used to age DiCaprio and Hammer's characters. Both actors received Screen Actors Guild Awards nods.

The following year Hammer co-starred with Julia Roberts and Lily Collins in '' Mirror Mirror'' (2012), playing Prince Andrew Alcott. In January 2012, he voiced the Winklevoss twins in an episode of ''The Simpsons'' titled " The D'oh-cial Network". In 2013, Hammer was cast as the title role of Disney's, '' The Lone Ranger'', alongside Johnny Depp as Tonto, in an adaptation of the radio and film serials Lone Ranger. The film, released theatrically in July 2013, was considered a box office failure, grossing only $260.5 million worldwide on a reported budget of $215 million. In 2015, he starred in director Guy Ritchie's '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', a feature film adaptation of the 1960s TV show '' The Man from U.N.C.L.E.'', playing Illya Kuryakin, opposite Henry Cavill.

2016–2021: Career progression

The following year, Hammer played Sam Turner in the 2016 film ''The Birth of a Nation'', directed by Nate Parker. The film, which premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival, won both the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize in the U.S. Dramatic Competition. In January 2016, it was revealed that since 2013, Hammer was in contact with the family of the infamous drug lord Edgar Valdez Villarreal and secured the rights to film the life story of the cartel leader. He then had a role in the ensemble of Tom Ford's psychological thriller '' Nocturnal Animals'', played Ord in the action film '' Free Fire'', which was written and directed by Ben Wheatley, and played U.S. Marine Mike Stevens, in '' Mine''.

In 2017, Hammer starred as Oliver in '' Call Me by Your Name'', starring opposite Timothée Chalamet and Michael Stuhlbarg. The film, an adaptation of an André Aciman novel of the same name, was directed by Luca Guadagnino. Production began in May 2016, and the film premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. For his performance, Hammer received acclaim and nominations for the Critics' Choice Award, the Independent Spirit Award, and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. Film critic Richard Lawson of ''Vanity Fair'' asserted that Hammer utilized "his ludicrous proportions and chiseled handsomeness to great, surprisingly witty and sensitive effect." Hammer's acclaim was further echoed by Peter Travers; he wrote for ''Rolling Stone'' magazine: "a revelation, giving his most complex screen role to date the tightrope thrill of full immersion." Often highlighted was the "ridiculous chemistry" between Hammer and Chalamet, in which Christy Lemire of '' RogerEbert.com'' found the pairing successful, in part due to Hammer's skill in finding the "tricky balance between the character's swagger and his vulnerability as he gives himself over to this exciting affair." Hammer also narrated the audiobook, which was published by Macmillan Publishers.

In the same year, he voiced Jackson Storm, the main antagonist, in Disney-Pixar's animated film '' Cars 3'', as well as starred alongside Geoffrey Rush in Stanley Tucci's '' Final Portrait''. The film premiered at the 2017 Berlin International Film Festival and received a theatrical release the following year by Sony Pictures Classics to favorable reviews. Owen Gleiberman of ''Variety'' magazine praised Hammer's ability to "suggest turbulent eddies of thought beneath the blondish Clark Kent looks and preppie manners." ''The Village Voice'' critic found the performances "uniformly strong" and cited Hammer's portrayal of American author James Lord as the "comic highlight".

In 2018, Hammer co-starred in Boots Riley's dark comedy '' Sorry to Bother You'' alongside Lakeith Stanfield, Steven Yeun, and Tessa Thompson. ''Film Journal International'' critic Tomris Laffly described Hammer's character, Steve Lift, as an "irresistibly funny" and "coke-snorting, abominable villain". The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 20. The film won the 2019 National Board of Review's Top Ten Independent Films award and also won Best Screenplay and Best First Feature at the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards. He then appeared as David in the thriller '' Hotel Mumbai'', about the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2018. In the same year, Hammer starred alongside Felicity Jones, playing taxation law expert Martin D. Ginsburg, the spouse of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in '' On the Basis of Sex'', a biographical legal drama film based on the life and early cases of Ginsburg, directed by Mimi Leder. It premiered at the AFI Fest on November 8, 2018. In June 2018, Hammer led as Drew in '' Straight White Men'' at Second Stage Theater on Broadway. For his notable film works from 2017 to 2018, Hammer was awarded "Outstanding Achievement in Cinema" by The SCAD Savannah Film Festival.

In 2019, Hammer starred in Babak Anvari's psychological horror film '' Wounds'' along with Dakota Johnson. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 26. In 2020, he starred as Maxim de Winter in an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's Gothic romance ''Rebecca'', directed by Ben Wheatley and co-starring Lily James; and in 2021, he appeared with Gary Oldman and Evangeline Lilly in the opioid crisis thriller ''Crisis''.

2022–present: Setback, replacements, hiatus and return

Hammer was part of an ensemble cast in director Kenneth Branagh's 2022 adaptation of Agatha Christie's ''Death on the Nile.''

In 2021, Hammer both dropped out of and was dropped from a number of acting productions in development in the wake of sexual and emotional abuse allegations, including a sexual assault investigation. Hammer dropped out of the film '' Shotgun Wedding'' and his leading role in the Paramount+ drama miniseries '' The Offer'', stepped away from the Starz series '' Gaslit'' and the Broadway play '' The Minutes'', and was removed from ''Billion Dollar Spy''. Talent agency William Morris Endeavor dropped Hammer as a client, and it was reported that his publicist would no longer represent him. In December 2021, it was revealed his role in the Taika Waititi film '' Next Goal Wins'' had been reshot, with Will Arnett taking over Hammer's role.

In October 2024, ''The Guardian'' reported on the launch of Hammer's podcast, ''Armie HammerTime'', where Hammer "interviews other stars but seems more interested in talking about himself". After a hiatus, Hammer will make his acting comeback with the western film '' Frontier Crucible''.

Personal life

In May 2010, Hammer married television personality Elizabeth Chambers. Hammer's friend, artist Tyler Ramsey, introduced the pair. They have two children. On July 10, 2020, Hammer and Chambers announced their separation via Instagram. In June 2023, it was announced that Hammer and Chambers had reached a divorce settlement.

In 2011, Hammer was arrested at a United States Border Patrol checkpoint in West Texas after marijuana was discovered in his car. El Paso's attorney declined to prosecute the case, as the amount of marijuana Hammer had would only amount to a misdemeanor. In 2013, Hammer said the arrest "was a misunderstanding of laws etweeninterstate laws versus state laws and apparently federal laws supersede state laws".

In 2022, Hammer was living in the Cayman Islands to be near Chambers and their children. He held several jobs in the Cayman Islands, including selling timeshares and as a manager for an apartment complex. In 2024, Hammer moved to Los Angeles after being refused subsequent work permits in the Cayman Islands. He later claimed to be in a "bad financial state", resulting from limited acting work following his abuse allegations and lacking access to his family's fortune.

In 2023, Hammer alleged he was sexually assaulted at age 13 by a youth pastor.

Hammer's ''Armie HammerTime Podcast'' explores a range of topics related to his personal life. In one of the episodes, Armie Hammer expressed his fondness for nudity in his personal lifestyle -- that he loves being naked in his house and enjoys walking around naked. In another episode, Hammer claimed that he had previously used Grindr to "organise a gay hookup", but said that he was unable to go through with it after he "failed to get aroused."

Abuse allegations

In January 2021, an anonymous Instagram account published screenshots of sexually-charged text messages it claimed Hammer had sent to various women. Hammer denied the validity of the text messages, calling them an "online attack", and later claimed his legal team were unsuccessful delivering a subpoena to Meta for messaging records related to the accusations. That same month, the Cayman police spoke to Hammer about leaked videos in which he stated he had sex with "Miss Cayman" in the Cayman Islands. He later apologized to the ''Cayman Compass'', clarifying the woman he referred to in the videos was not associated with the Miss Cayman Islands beauty pageant.

Two months later, Hammer's ex-girlfriend, Efrosina Angelova, came forward as the owner of the Instagram account and accused Hammer of raping her in April 2017. Two other women then alleged abuse by Hammer in '' Page Six'': Courtney Vucekovich claimed he subjected her to emotional abuse, expressed a desire to cook and eat one of her ribs, and that she attended a hospitalization program for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the relationship. Paige Lorenze claimed Hammer "branded her, purposefully left her covered in bruises, and talked about 'consuming her'". In response, Hammer's legal team stated "the assertions about Mr. Hammer are patently untrue. Any interactions with any partner of his were completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon, and mutually participatory". After the allegations were made, Hammer was removed from a number of film projects and dropped out of others himself.

In March 2021, the LAPD launched an investigation into the accusations, which concluded that December. Hammer's attorney stated, "There was never a case, never a lawsuit, never a criminal proceeding against anyone. ..There wasn't any matter for me to handle other than to help him manage his image in the press". The allegations feature in the 2022 documentary series '' House of Hammer''. In September 2022, it was revealed that attorney Gloria Allred refused to represent Angelova after she "wouldn't sign a declaration under perjury egardingher accusations". Angelova said in 2025 that Allred had withdrawn as her attorney when she refused to retroactively grant Allred permission to speak about her case in ''House of Hammer''; prior to the film she had in fact, she says, specifically asked Allred not to discuss her case with the filmmakers.

In February 2023, '' Air Mail'' published an article questioning the details of the accusations. Hammer admitted to consensual BDSM and emotional abuse but denied claims of sexual abuse and cannibalism. In May 2023, the LA County District Attorney declined to indict Hammer, citing insufficient evidence.

In July 2024, his mother, Dru Ann, addressed the allegations in her book ''Hammered''. Hammer also discussed the accusations and his personal changes in interviews on '' Piers Morgan Uncensored'' in July 2024 and '' The Louis Theroux Podcast'' in February 2025.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Theater

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammer, Armie
1986 births
21st-century American male actors
Living people
American male film actors
American people of German-Russian descent
American people of Polish descent
American people of Russian descent
American people of Russian-Jewish descent
American people of Ukrainian-Jewish descent
American male television actors
American male voice actors
Armie
Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute alumni
Male actors from Los Angeles
People from Highland Park, Texas
2021 controversies in the United States