Armie Hammer: A timeline of events leading up to the sexual assault investigation against the actor

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Content warning: This article contains multiple references to sexual assault and abuse that some readers may find upsetting.

As multiple rumors and now full-blown allegations of sexual misconduct have unfolded against Armie Hammer, more and more women have publicly spoken out against the Call Me By Your Name actor, accusing him of abusive behaviour.

The allegations came to a head on Thursday (18 March) when the LAPD confirmed to The Independent that Hammer “is the named suspect in an alleged sexual assault investigation, initiated on 3 February 2021”.

The woman who has reported the alleged assault, identified as Effie, spoke out on Thursday during a press conference with her attorney Gloria Allred.

“On 24 April 2017, Armie Hammer violently raped me for over four hours in Los Angeles, during which he repeatedly slammed my head against a wall, bruising my face,” Effie alleged in a statement sent to The Independent, which she read during Thursday’s press conference. “He also committed other acts of violence against me to which I did not consent.”

How did we get here?

Given the swarm of news surrounding the actor, who was recently dropped by his talent agency and personal publicist, The Independent has assembled a full timeline of events leading up to this moment.

11 July 2020: Armie Hammer and his wife of 10 years, Elizabeth Chambers, announce they are seeking a divorce

Via Instagram, the pair announce that they have separated after “13 years as best friends, soulmates, partners and then parents”.

“It has been an incredible journey, but together, we’ve decided to turn the page and move on from our marriage,” Hammer captioned a photo of the couple from when they were younger. “As we enter into this next chapter, our children and relationship as co-parents and dear friends will remain our priority.

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“We understand this news lends itself to public dialogue, but in the interest of our children and our family, we’re asking for privacy, compassion and love during this time.”

January 2021: DMs surface from anonymous Instagram account “@houseofeffie”

Early in the year, screenshots begin making the rounds on social media, showing messages from what appears to be the actor’s official account.The messages, dating back to 2016, describe graphic sexual fantasies, and included references to rape, violence, and cannibalism.

Hammer and his team did not acknowledge the messages at first.

14 January 2021: Ex Courtney Vucekovich says in an interview that the actor wanted to “break my rib and barbecue and eat it”

Speaking toPage Six, the app founder says Hammer wanted “to break my rib and barbecue and eat it”.

Vucekovich also calls Hammer is a “chameleon” who transforms into “exactly who you need him to be”.

“He sucks out all the goodness you have left,” she said.“That’s what he did to me. I gave and gave and gave until it hurt.”

“I wasn’t safe,” she said. “He kind of makes it like, ‘I’m going to teach you things.’ I’m smarter than that, but where was I during that?I knew the whole time. I had this gut feeling the whole time that this was not right. He’s not well.”

14 January 2021: Hammer steps away from his role oppositeJennifer Lopez in the feature Shotgun Wedding

“Given the imminent start date ofShotgun Wedding, Armie has requested to step away from the film and we support him in his decision,” a spokesperson confirmed to Variety.

“I’m not responding to these bulls**t claims, but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for four months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic. Lionsgate is supporting me in this and I’m grateful to them for that,” Hammer said in a statement at the time.

21 January 2021: Reports surface that Hammer had spoken to the police about a “stolen” video from his private Instagram account.

In the leaked video, the actor could be seen with an unidentified woman – referred to as “Miss Cayman” – positioned on all-fours on a bed.

In the clip, which the actor said was “stolen” from his account, Hammer could be heard saying that he had to travel to the Cayman Islands.

“Which sucks”, he said, before adding: “Except there are a few silver linings. Like f***ing Miss Cayman again while I’m down there.”

The Grand Cayman police confirmed to Page Six that they had spoken to Hammer last Friday (15 January) about the footage.

“On January 15, 2021, the RCIPS received an allegation of misuse of ICT in relation to a suggestive video which had been posted on social media,” police told the publication.

“Officers investigated the matter and spoke to the suspect, who was warned about his conduct, in accordance with the wishes of the complainant.”

25 January 2021: Model Paige Lorenze accuses Hammer of sexual violence

Lorenze speaks to Page Six, where she accuses Hammer of sexual violence, at one point allegedly carving a letter “A” near her genitals.

“These assertions about Mr. Hammer are patently untrue,” a lawyer for the actor said in a statement responding to Lorenze’s claims.

“Any interactions with this person, or any partner of his, were completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon, and mutually participatory. The stories being perpetuated in the media are a misguided attempt to present a one-sided narrative with the goal of tarnishing Mr.Hammer’s reputation, and communications from the individuals involved prove that.”

29 January 2021: Hammer exits Paramount+ series The Offer

In late January, news surfaced that Hammer would no longer star in the upcoming Paramount+ series The Offer, which tells the behind-the-scenes story of the making of The Godfather.

Hammer’s team continued to deny all allegations of sexual misconduct.

1 February 2021: Elizabeth Chambers makes a statement, offers support to “any victim of assault or abuse”.

Posting a note to Instagram on 1 February, Chambers expressed support for "any victim of assault or abuse" and said she would “not be commenting further on this matter”.

"For weeks, I’ve been trying to process everything that has transpired. I am shocked, heartbroken, and devastated. Heartbreak aside, I am listening, and will continue to listen and educate myself on these delicate matters. I didn’t realise how much I didn’t know.

"I support any victim of assault or abuse and urge anyone who has experienced this pain to seek the help she or he needs to heal.

"At this time, I will not be commenting further on this matter.

"My sole focus and attention will continue to be on our children, on my work, and on healing during this incredibly difficult time.

“Thank you for all of the love and support, and thank you in advance for your continued kindness, respect, and consideration for our children and me as we find ways to move forward.”

5 February 2021: Hammer is dropped by talent reps and publicist

In early February, Hammer lost the support of his talent agency William Morris Endeavour.

Variety also reported that the actor’s personal publicist has dropped The Social Network actor.

There was no comment from either party around the news.

11 March 2021: A lengthy report in Vanity Fair details Hammer’s disturbing family history and further allegations made by Paige Lorenze

In the report, Hammer’s former girlfriend says that she felt“really unsafe” during her relationship with the “scary” actor.

“He started making rules for me of things I could and couldn’t do, who I could have over, who I couldn’t,” Lorenze said. “He told me that I couldn’t have anyone else in my bed. And then I just started to feel really unsafe and really sick to my stomach about things.”

Hammer’s lawyer told Vanity Fair: “All interactions betweenMr Hammer and his former partners were consensual. They were fully discussed, agreed upon in advance with his partners, and mutually participatory.

“The stories perpetuated on social media were designed to be salacious in an effort to harm Mr Hammer, but that does not make them true.”

18 March 2021: A woman identified only as “Effie” accuses Hammer of raping and abusing her, as the Los Angeles Police Department confirms it is investigating the actor as part of a probe into alleged sexual assault.

“From day one, Mr Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with [the woman] — and every other sexual partner of his for that matter — have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory,” Hammer’s lawyer told The Independent in part in a statement.

In his statement to The Independent, Hammer’s attorney Andrew Brettler said that Effie’s “own correspondence with Mr Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations”.

“It was never Mr Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose [the woman]’s fetishes or kinky sexual desires, but she has now escalated this matter to another level by hiring a civil lawyer to host a public press conference,” Brettler added. “With the truth on his side, Mr Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight.”

Effie said in her statement that she hopes Hammer will be “held accountable” and that her testimony will help others.

In a statement of her own, Effie’s lawyer Gloria Allred said “it is important to emphasise that even if a sexual partner agrees to certain sexual activity, she still has a right at any point to withdraw her consent”.

“If she does withdraw her consent and asks her partner to stop for any reason, he is legally and morally obligated to stop. If he does not stop, he is then at risk of committing a crime against her,” Allred added.

“In addition, a sexual partner needs to be aware of the nature and the scope of the consent that is given. Even if a partner consents to some sexual acts, that does not mean that there is consent to any and all sexual conduct with her.”

29 March: Hammer is dropped from Amma Asante’s thriller Billion Dollar Spy

Hammer is dropped from the upcoming Cold War thriller The Billion Dollar Spy.

Based on a real-life story, The Billion Dollar Spy was going to star Hammer as Brad Reid, a new arrival at the Moscow station of the CIA, where he’s approached by Soviet engineer Adolf Tolkachev, played by Mads Mikkelsen.