Armie Hammer is making a bold return to the public eye with his latest role, nearly four years after his career was derailed by scandal. In 2021, the actor faced allegations of sexual abuse and cannibalistic fantasies, which led to a significant downturn in his professional life. Now, at 38, Hammer is back in the spotlight.
The former "Death on the Nile" star made a brief appearance in the music video for "Typical Squeeze," released on Monday by English artist Georgie Leahy. According to the song's official YouTube credits, Hammer plays a character named "Kannibal Ken" in the pop track. The song revolves around a rebellious woman who defies being labeled a "safe bet, good girl, or typical squeeze." The lyrics suggest, "Everybody’s got a little wild side."
In the video, Hammer makes a dramatic entrance halfway through, appearing in the back of Leahy’s convertible and causing it to flip. This scene is accompanied by the graphic imagery of bloody severed limbs flying out of the car and into the streets. The character of Kannibal Ken seems to be a nod to Ryan Gosling’s role as Ken in the 2022 hit film "Barbie."
Hammer became a subject of widespread discussion after the allegations against him came to light. As a result, the "Call Me By My Name" star was dropped by his publicist and talent agency, and he had to abandon several acting projects that were in development. Despite denying any criminal wrongdoing and asserting that all his relationships were consensual, Hammer admitted to exploiting an "imbalance of power" and being emotionally abusive with some past partners. However, no criminal charges were filed against him.
In July, the Hollywood actor appeared on "Piers Morgan Uncensored" and reiterated his stance that he never sexually assaulted anyone, including his former girlfriend Effie Angelova. In 2021, Angelova accused Hammer of raping and abusing her mentally, emotionally, and sexually in 2017. Several other women also came forward with claims that Hammer had cannibalistic fantasies and engaged in BDSM. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office confirmed last year that Hammer would not be charged with sexual assault.
During his interview with Morgan, Hammer denied all accusations, starting with the claim that he was a cannibal. "To be a cannibal, you have to have actually eaten someone," he stated. He also denied ever consuming human flesh. Hammer described his relationship with Angelova as a "very intense affair, very sexually charged, between two people with very similar proclivities and kinks." This relationship occurred while he was married to his now-ex-wife, Elizabeth Chambers. The couple separated in 2020 and finalized their divorce in 2023. They share two children, Harper, 9, and Ford, 7.
Hammer continued, "Any conversations we had within that relationship, when taken out of context and put into broad daylight, don’t look so good." He also addressed the claims of engaging in BDSM sex and role-play, stating, "Different people have different sexual fantasies. People are allowed to engage with their own sexuality however it fits them." The actor explained that the concept of cannibalism as role-play was "born out of a desire to want someone so completely" that it felt like "wanting to eat them." He characterized the messages about cannibalism sent to his alleged victims as mere "fun fantasy."
Hammer’s latest cameo was directed by Jerry Brunskill, who also produces his new podcast, "Armie HammerTime." The podcast features guests like Tyler Ramsey, Dru Hammer, his mother, and comedian Tom Arnold. In a November episode, Dru revealed on air that she gifted her son a vasectomy for his birthday in August. Hammer is set to return to the big screen in the Western "Frontier Crucible."
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