I used people to make me feel better and moved on: Armie Hammer on sexual abuse allegations
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Hollywood actor Armie Hammer has broken the silence over the sexual misconduct allegations made against him in early 2021.
He asserted that all encounters were consensual but he was emotionally abusive in his relationships. "I had a very intense and extreme lifestyle. I would scoop up these women, bring them into it – into this whirlwind of travel and sex and drugs and big emotions flying around – and then as soon as I was done, I’d just drop them off and move on to the next woman, leaving that woman feeling abandoned or used," he told Air Mail, a digital newsletter.
He denied any criminal wrongdoing and insisted all encounters at the centre of the accusations made against him were consensual. In January 2021, an anonymous Instagram user @houseofeffie posted text screenshots from Hammer. They revealed violent and graphic details of sexual nature. This led to other women coming forward with accusations of sexual coercion and emotional abuse. They were all in relationships with the actor between 2017 and 2020.
After the controversial accusations, Hammer was dropped by his talent agency and multiple high-profile projects. In February 2021, the LAPD opened a sexual assault investigation but there has not been an update on it since then.
Speaking about the allegations, Hammer said the power dynamics were off in these relationships and they would have said 'yes' to things because of his status. "I would have these younger women in their mid-20s, and I’m in my 30s. I was a successful actor at the time. They could have been happy to just be with me and would have said yes to things that maybe they wouldn’t have said yes to on their own."
He said his behaviour amounts to him being "an asshole" and he is here to own his mistakes and take accountability. "I used people to make me feel better, and when I was done, I moved on. I’m now a healthier, happier, more balanced person. I’m truly grateful for my life and my recovery and everything."
He also revealed that he was sexually abused by his youth pastor for a year at the age of 13 and this experience led to his interest in BDSM. "What that did for me was it introduced sexuality into my life in a way that was completely out of my control. I was powerless in the situation. I had no agency in the situation. My interests then went to: I want to have control in the situation, sexually."
He told Air Mail that he is "broke" and "massively in debt". His family has been helping him to pay legal fees. Air Mail founders Graydon Carter and Alessandra Stanley said in a statement that the actor wants to clear his name.
