Armie Hammer's movie career was destroyed 2 years ago amid an LAPD investigation that saw The Long Ranger and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. star accused of a violent rape.
While he was never charged (the investigation was dropped after 9 months), Hammer still finds himself surrounded by controversy after a number of women released screenshots suggesting he has cannibalistic and violent fetishes. Throw in reports about substance issues and infidelity, and scandals have followed him for a while.
With so many women sharing similar sexual abuse claims about the actor, he was dropped by his talent agency and essentially blacklisted in Hollywood.
Now, though, Hammer is sharing his side and tells Air Mail (via ActioNewz.com) that his interest in BDSM is a result of being sexually abused by his youth pastor when he was 13. "What that did for me was it introduced sexuality into my life in a way that it was completely out of my control. I was powerless in the situation. I had no agency in the situation."
"Sexuality was introduced to me in a scary way where I had no control. My interests then went to: I want to have control in the situation, sexually."
Admitting that there was "an imbalance of power" in some of his previous relationships, Hammer continued to deny any criminal wrongdoing after being accused of rape, and instead dismissed his past behaviour with other women down to him being "an asshole."
After detailing his recovery, Hammer claims to have contemplated suicide in the midst of his very public downfall. "I just walked out into the ocean and swam out as far as I could and hoped that either I drowned, or was hit by a boat, or eaten by a shark. Then I realized that my kids were still on shore, and that I couldn’t do that to my kids."
As for what the future holds in store, Hammer seems hopeful he can one day be redeemed but doesn't believe that's possible given today's cancel culture.
"There are examples everywhere, Robert [Downey Jr.] being one of them, of people who went through those things and found redemption through a new path. And that, I feel like, is what’s missing in this cancel-culture, woke-mob business," Hammer says. "The minute anyone does anything wrong, they’re thrown away. There’s no chance for rehabilitation."
While he could eventually find some acting work, perhaps in direct-to-DVD fare, it's hard to picture Hammer ever starring in a mainstream project again. Studios will be understandably concerned about the backlash hiring him would lead to online, while his apparent lack of remorse is unlikely to help matters, particularly as his behaviour was unacceptable in this post-#MeToo world.
Weigh in with your thoughts on Hammer's comments in the usual place.