Armie Hammer's mother defends him as 'morally wrong' but not 'criminally' liable amid cannibalism claims

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Armie Hammer's mother, Dru Hammer has spoken out for the first time regarding the allegations that led to her son's career downfall, his reputation plummeting after multiple women came forward with disturbing claims of violent abuse and cannibalistic fantasies.

The 37-year-old actor, who was Elizabeth Chambers' ex-husband and best known for his role in 'Call Me By Your Name', was once at the height of his career.

Dru Hammer discusses son Armie Hammer's scandal in her book 'Hammered'

Dru Hammer - who has the book 'Hammered' coming' out - told TMZ, "I was very careful during the whole ordeal because my own son didn't come out and defend himself."

"I had a pastor at the time who said if you come to your own defense, it's the only defense you're ever gonna have, so we believe that God is our defense and now the truth is coming out."

In February 2021, Effie Angelova, a 26-year-old ex-girlfriend, accused Hammer of 'violently' raping and abusing her in 2017.

Through his attorney, Hammer denied the rape accusations, asserting that all of his sexual encounters were "completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory."

Referring to her son's recent interviews with Bill Maher and Piers Morgan, she remarked, "He was not criminally wrong, he was morally wrong but it's changed his life forever and he's sober and he's happier than he's ever been. And coming back to God and that's the most important thing to me."

She continued, expressing optimism about Armie's future, noting that things were looking "so good" for him now and he was on track for a Hollywood comeback.

Dru shared that she had chronicled her son's scandal in her new book, and he approved it without any changes. She quoted him saying, "I wouldn't change anything. I'm really proud of you, Mom."

Armie Hammer addresses branding allegation by ex-girlfriend in candid interview

In a candid interview with Piers Morgan, Armie Hammer acknowledged his ex-girlfriend Paige Lorenze's allegation that he had 'branded' her with a knife, though he described it as more of a 'scrape' or 'tattoo'.

During their intense four-month relationship in 2020, Lorenze accused Hammer of 'marking and branding' her, an accusation that emerged amidst the actor's highly publicized abuse and cannibalism scandal in 2021.

However, in the July 19 interview with Piers Morgan, Hammer countered this claim, asserting via Page Six that he didn't technically 'brand' Lorenze.

"I wouldn't say brand, no," Hammer said, adding, "There was a scenario that we talked about beforehand, that we had discussed where, you know, I would basically take a little, tiny point and just kind of trace the letter 'A' — just like the tip of a small knife."

He continued, "I mean, there wasn't even blood in the situation. It was more like a scrape… It's along the lines of couples getting their own initials tattooed on each other."

Morgan suggested that cutting someone's skin is different from getting a tattoo, noting it's "less permanent."

Hammer responded by downplaying the act, calling it a small thing.

When Morgan expressed his shock, Hammer tried to frame it as a "romantic gesture," acknowledging, "Yes, I think to some it probably sounds really strange. To some, it probably sounds like a very romantic gesture."