Armie Hammer has denied rumours that his friend Robert Downey Jr. paid for him to go to rehab three years ago.
Hammer reportedly spent six months in treatment after his life was turned upside down by sexual assault allegations and claims he has a cannibalism fetish.
Downey, whose own career was derailed as a result of addiction before his successful comeback, was said to have funded the rehab stint. Vanity Fair.
Now, however, Hammer, 37, has set the record straight during a shocking new interview with Piers Morgan about their scandal.
“No, he didn’t. He didn’t pay for me to go to rehab,” Hammer said, explaining that he had used substances such as cocaine and ecstasy “recreational” but had been “addicted to escapism” more than any other drug.
Armie Hammer (left) has denied rumours that his friend Robert Downey Jr. (right) paid for him to go to rehab three years ago
Asked by Morgan if Downey had been “supportive” of him when he became persona non grata, Hammer said, “Yes,” but was hesitant to provide details.
“I don’t want anyone else to be in my situation. There are many people who have helped me a lot and I am very grateful to them,” he said.
“Downey helped him in the same way that anyone in Hollywood who suffers from any kind of addiction, whether it’s alcohol, process addiction or drugs, decides to stop using, that person will find him and help him,” Hammer said. “It’s amazing.”
Hammer also revealed the advice Downey gave him during his Hollywood exile: “Sit down. Shut up. It’s going to be okay.”
After rehab, Hammer allegedly took refuge in a Los Angeles home owned by Downey while attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, according to Variety.
During the shocking interview that aired Friday, Morgan directly asked Hammer if he is actually a cannibal.
The Call Me By Your Name star has been out of the spotlight since 2021 when allegations of sexual assault and cannibalism surfaced.
Hammer told Morgan that the allegations were based on consensual sexual acts and kinky role-playing. When asked if he was actually a cannibal, Hammer replied, “You know what you have to do to be a cannibal? You have to have eaten somebody.”
The actor confirmed that he had not eaten anyone. He admitted that he once drew his initials on the thigh of his ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze, but denied that it was an attempt to mark her: “There wasn’t even blood,” he said.
Hammer confirmed to Morgan that he cheated on his ex-wife, Elizabeth Chambers, during their marriage before it fell apart in July 2020.
Hammer, 37, became emotional at times during the interview with Piers Morgan.
During an interaction, Morgan said he was “shocked” by Hammer’s revelation.
Armie Hammer’s ex-wife Elizabeth Chambers has been praised for the way she is able to “coexist” with her ex-spouse; pictured in 2019
Hammer also spoke about his relationship with Effie Angelova, who has accused him of sexual assault. He said their relationship was “a very intense, very sexually charged affair between two people with very similar inclinations and kinks.”
During that segment, Hammer admitted that out of context, their conversations would seem troubling.
‘Any of those conversations that we had within that relationship, when you take them out of that context and put them in broad daylight, they don’t look as good.’
Hammer said Angelova had more experience in the kink world than he did.
“Each person has their own sexual fantasies. The spectrum of sexuality is very broad and each person can live their own sexuality in the way that best suits their needs and tastes.”
In another shocking section of the interview, Hammer talked about putting his initials on his then-girlfriend, Lorenze.
‘There was a scenario that we talked about beforehand, that we had discussed, where, you know, I would basically take a tiny, tiny dot and just trace the letter ‘A,’ like the tip of a small knife.’
“I mean, there wasn’t even any blood on the spot. It was more like a scratch… It’s kind of like when couples get their initials tattooed,” she continued.
Morgan joked that the action was a little different than getting a tattoo from Hammer, adding that he was “shocked” by the revelation.
Hammer has always maintained his innocence in the face of accusations of rape and other abuse of women. His lawyers continue to maintain that all of his relationships were consensual.
Hammer and Chambers reached a divorce settlement last year, three years after filing for divorce.
The settlement came just weeks after Los Angeles County prosecutors declined to charge Hammer in an investigation stemming from a woman’s complaint that he sexually assaulted her in 2017.
They claimed lack of evidence to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Hammer said on Instagram that after a long public silence, “I look forward to beginning what will be a long and difficult process of rebuilding my life now that my name has been cleared.”
Hammer admitted to tracing his initials back to his then-girlfriend Paige Lorenze during their relationship.
Chambers, 40, is a television personality who has had shows on the Food Network and Cooking Channel.
The two began dating in 2007 and married in 2010. They have an 8-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son.
The terms of their agreement were not disclosed and in such cases often remain hidden from public view.
Disgraced actor Armie Hammer is asked point-blank if he’s ever eaten human flesh in awkward interview with Piers Morgan