Armie Hammer on Cannibalism Accusations: ‘It Was Bizarre’

Armie Hammer is speaking out about past accusations of cannibalism.

In a new interview with the “Painful Lessons” podcast, Hammer looks back at 2021, when his life and career imploded over allegations of sexual and physical abuse. The Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation at the time, but Hammer was never charged. The investigation was dropped in 2023 due to insufficient evidence.

Hammer explained, “There have been three and a half years now of painful lessons, and that is three and a half years of wisdom gleaned from them.”

Looking back at the rumors, he recalled thinking, “This is crazy. What is everyone talking about?”

He continued, “There were things that people were saying about me that just felt so outlandish. That I was a cannibal. Now, I’m able to look at it with a sense of distance and perspective and be like, ‘That is hilarious.’ People called me a cannibal and everyone believed them. They were like, ‘Yep, that guy ate people.’ You’re just like, ‘What? What are you talking about? Do you know what you have to do to be a cannibal? You have to eat people. How am I going to be a cannibal?’ It was bizarre.”

Hammer said of the fallout that he suffered an “ego death and career death,” adding, “It’s almost like a neutron bomb went off in my life. It killed me, it killed my ego, it killed all the people around me that I thought were my friends that weren’t — all of those people, in a flash, went away. But the buildings were still standing. I’m still here, I still have my health, and I’m really grateful for that.”

Armie continued, “I am now at a place in my life I am grateful for every single bit of 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 — where I had self-esteem. I never knew how to give myself love. I never knew how to give myself validation.”

Hammer has always denied the allegations against him.

In a 2023 Instagram post, the star of “The Social Network” shared “a very special thank you to all of the people who have helped me get through this time.”

He went on to write, “I am very grateful to the District Attorney for conducting a thorough investigation and coming to the conclusion that I have stood by this entire time, that no crime was committed. I look forward to beginning what will be a long, difficult process of putting my life back together now that my name is cleared.”

Amid the allegations, Hammer was also going through a divorce with Elizabeth Chambers. They split in 2020 after 10 years of marriage, and share kids Harper, 9, and son Ford, 7.

After their split and Armie’s scandal, Elizabeth opened up to “Extra” about her second act living in Grand Cayman with their kids, running her The Bird bakery, and joining the series “Grand Cayman: Secrets in Paradise.” Watch.