Actor Armie Hammer, who faced accusations of sexual abuse and cannibalism in 2021, is speaking out about the turmoil he endured, describing it as an "ego death" that ultimately led to personal growth.
Years after his career was halted by alarming allegations, actor Armie Hammer is breaking his silence on the scandal that rocked his life. In a recent appearance on the "Painful Lessons" podcast, Hammer opened up about the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced during his "cancellation" in 2021.
Drawing inspiration from Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey," Hammer explained the necessity of "death" for rebirth. "The hero must die, so the hero can be born again," he said. "If you don't experience these deaths, you're gonna just keep going with whatever that life is."
Armie Hammer Breaks Silence on Cannibalism Allegations, Embraces 'Ego Death'
While he refrained from using the term "hero" to describe himself, Hammer acknowledged the transformative nature of the crisis he faced. "I'm really grateful that my death wasn't a physical death. Because the path that I was on before, you know, I was burning the candle pretty hard. On both ends. And you know, there’s only a couple different ways that that story ends," he admitted.
The allegations against Hammer, which included graphic conversations about cannibalism, surfaced in January 2021 through an Instagram account. The messages, which were not independently verified, showed him allegedly referring to a woman as his "slave."
Armie Hammer Breaks Silence on Cannibalism Allegations, Embraces 'Ego Death'
In the wake of the initial accusations, other women, including Courtney Vucekovich and Paige Lorenze, came forward with similar stories. Vucekovich claimed that Hammer expressed interest in eating parts of her body, while Lorenze described his fascination with removing and smoking her ribs.
Hammer's response to the allegations has been marked by a sense of disbelief and humor. "When all of this really kind of started for me, it felt like I was in a tornado," he said. "It felt like the only thing I could do was cover my head and protect my neck, even though I had instincts of lashing out, even though I wanted to go out there and be like, ‘This is crazy. Like, what is everyone talking about?’”
Armie Hammer Breaks Silence on Cannibalism Allegations, Embraces 'Ego Death'
Looking back, Hammer conceded that some of the accusations seemed "outlandish," particularly the notion that he was a cannibal. "Like, people called me a cannibal, and everyone believed them. They’re like, ‘Yep, that guy ate people.’ And you're just like, ‘What? Like, what are you talking about? Do you know what you have to do to be a cannibal? You have to eat people! Like, how am I gonna be a cannibal?' It was bizarre."
Despite the trauma he endured, Hammer expressed a profound sense of gratitude for the experience. "I'm actually now at a place where I'm really grateful for it. Because where I was in my life, before all of that stuff happened to me, I didn't feel good. I never felt satisfied. I never had enough. I never was in a place where I was happy with myself or I had self-esteem," he said.
Armie Hammer Breaks Silence on Cannibalism Allegations, Embraces 'Ego Death'
Hammer acknowledged that prior to the scandal, he had relied on external validation rather than self-love. "I never knew how to give myself love. I never knew how to give myself validation. But I had this job where I was able to get it from so many people, that I never learned how to give it to myself."
In the aftermath of the crisis, Hammer underwent a profound spiritual awakening. "I had a crisis. A spiritual crisis, an emotional crisis, and the way I saw it was I have two options here: I can either let this destroy me, or, to the point of your podcast, I can use this as a lesson," he explained.
Armie Hammer Breaks Silence on Cannibalism Allegations, Embraces 'Ego Death'
While the initial chaos and emotional turmoil were overwhelming, Hammer has since embraced the transformative power of the experience. "I look at it now and I go, ‘You know what, like, it was awful. And I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, but, for the people in my life that I truly love, I hope some version, preferably smaller than what I went through, will happen to them as well so they can learn everything that I've learned."
