What I Learned From The Armie Hammer Scandal
I really thought living through 2020 made me immune to surprises, that was until Armie Hammer was dubbed the new Hannibal Lecter.
As an avid fan of Call Me By Your Name, I always thought Armie was a real dreamboat. It’s difficult to determine whether a person is inherently good or bad judging merely by external impressions, but I never saw Hammer as the type to be involved in such an atrocious scandal. When I think of cannibals I think of middle-aged men in masks, not a youthful dad clad in linen whose day job involves roaming around the Italian countryside with Timothee Chalamet. My first thought when I read the news was that it couldn’t be true. And then I saw the text “I am 100% a cannibal.”
By now, most of us are familiar with the leaked DM’s between the star and various different women. This alone was appalling, however, in a twisted turn of events the digital scandal appears to be just the beginning of Hammer’s fall from grace. According to multiple sources, Hammer has just been dropped by his agent and publicist, anticipating his involvement in a shocking story about to be released by a prominent media outlet. Though no story has been unveiled as of yet, people are starting to speculate and have gone as far as accusing Hammer of murder.
Last year, Hammer began working in construction during his divorce. The site he was working on was a secluded hotel in the desert, just 15 minutes away from where the remains of three women have just been found. While I can see why people’s minds would go there - especially after seeing the star’s leaked DM’s, police have already squashed rumours that Hammer might be a suspect. The public information officer for the sheriff's office stated “Armie Hammer’s name hasn’t come up as a suspect at all. We have no plans to investigate him” adding that “We have not identified the remains.”
Another twitter user alleges that Armie is being investigated for a disappearance of a California mom on a solo trip to Joshua Tree. While this accusation hasn’t been discredited yet, it’s still important to take it for what it is: a rumour.
While there is no substantial evidence linking Armie to a potential murder case, it’s still a terrifying idea. While we’re all on the edge of our seats regarding the upcoming, potentially career ending exposé, all that’s left to do now is sit back and wait for the facts. In the meantime however, I want to take it back to the beginning to explore what really began the downfall of Hollywood’s golden boy.
The whole debacle started with an anonymous Instagram account leaking what appeared to be DM’s between Armie Hammer and a range of different girls, most conversations carried by his inherent sadism and cannibalistic fantasies. Hammer still hasn’t admitted to his alleged sadistic tendencies, instead, calling the claims against him “bullshit.” However, If you really dig in, the evidence is pretty damning.
From the leaked conversations, Armie was seen sending messages such as “I want to cut off one of your toes and keep it in my pocket,” “I want to drink your blood” and “I’ve cut the heart out of a living animal before and eaten it while it was still warm.” The messages were outrageous and threatening, not to mention still unverified due to the message’s anonymous source. It was a logical response to harbour some doubts about the authenticity, after all, cannibalism is a niche interest and doesn’t bode well with the pre-existing ideas we had about Hammer. What I’m trying to say is that to me at least, he seemed more like a Christian Grey type rather than a Jeffree Dahmer wannabe. That was, until his exes started coming forward.
In light of these claims Armie’s ex, Paige Lorenze, recounted how Hammer used mannequins to practise tying women up, carved an “A” into her skin during sex and secretly took photos of her when she was blindfolded. She said of her experience that “the tough part of this is that consent is really complicated. Emotionally and psychologically you can be just as traumatised. It’s disgusting that he coerces women into these situations. It’s dangerous.” The revelation that those close to Armie were willing to substantiate the claims quickly dismissed any doubt about the legitimacy of the original messages.
It’s also important to note that Paige is twelve years younger than Armie, making the power dynamic between the two even clearer. If an individual’s sexual preferences come before their partner’s own comfort and mental health, it’s not BDSM, it’s abuse.
Another ex, Courtney Vucekovich, admitted that he expressed a desire to break off her rib, barbeque it and eat it. She stated that Hammer quickly grooms his partners, elaborating that “he kind of captivates you and while being charming, he’s grooming you for these things that are darker and heavier and consuming.”
The whole debacle sparks a debate around kinks, consent and when sexual expression crosses a line. Hammer stated in a leaked audio clip that these messages were sent as a means to play into a fantasy of his and that there was no intention of following through. While that may be the case, these women are being left traumatised and feeling coerced into a world of BDSM that they never wanted to be a part of. Some people might consider criticising Armie’s personal messages as ‘kink-shaming.’ The reality of this situation is that a prominent public figure has taken the liberty to misuse his influence at the expense of young, vulnerable women. Even the way he failed to own up to his mistakes publicly was an attempt to both gaslight and ostracise the women he traumatised.
Another important issue this brings to light that of not believing victims. I had to check myself on this one, as I almost thought the initial screenshots too outrageous to be true. In reality, coming forward with this kind of information can be extremely difficult for victims, there is little reward aside from the knowledge that this revelation might protect other women from suffering the same abuse. What these women did was brave, condemning a man who was using his charm and status to manipulate the vulnerable, and they shouldn’t be punished for that.
From the terrible experience of these victims, we have the opportunity to better recognise manipulation and psychological abuse in our own relationships. While the nature of BDSM can be thrilling for some, those who aren’t as intrigued should never be forced to partake against their will. Even if verbal consent is given, many individuals only agree after rigorous manipulation and it isn’t okay. Check-in with yourself often and be honest about what you want, know that the right person will treat you with respect and not cross any boundaries for their own gain.
Armie Hammer’s treatment of these women has left in its wake lasting psychological effects and it’s our job to hold him, and those who act in a similar manner, accountable. Look after your friends, call out your mates on toxic behaviour and remember that if you ever find yourself in an abusive relationship, help is out there if you just ask.
Words — Paris Blanchfield
