Armie Hammer, Hollywood, and the Limits of #MeToo
By M. Erhardt
“All right, Mr. DeMille, I’m ready for my close-up,” delivers Gloria Swanson in the iconic ‘50s film Sunset Boulevard. From classic Hollywood cinema to their modern homages like La La Land, abundant are characters who dream of becoming movie actors, directors, or writers. They pack up their lives and move to Hollywood, hoping to turn their dreams into a reality.
But Hollywood, being overly romanticized and mythologized, is far from perfect. The overdone tale of escaping to Tinseltown with the hope of becoming a star often fails to include the systemic gender injustices that stand in the way of achieving this dream. Hollywood is a cultural institution predicated on hierarchical power and wealth, not talent and luck. Within this empire of extreme wealth and nepotism, it’s easy for important issues to be swept under the rug––after all, with money comes power. And when affluent stars with a society of devotees are accused of sexual assault, they have the power to not only quiet these allegations but also, in some cases, to maintain their stature and celebrity.
The recently released docuseries House of Hammer touches on these uneasy ties between fame and control, focusing on women’s allegations of sexual assault against actor Armie Hammer. The limited documentary series covers not only their abuse at the hands of Hammer but also the generational patterns within the Hammer family. Survivor Courtney Vucekovich recounts the details of his assaults on her and describes the humiliation, fear, and sense of degradation she faced: “I didn’t feel loved. It was horrible. You feel completely immobilized. There’s something about trauma while you’re immobilized and can’t move. There’s that fight-and-flight and you can’t do either. You’re just stuck there. I was closing my eyes until it ended.” While she talks about events that happened to her years ago, she relives these buried memories as she verbalizes them. Speaking about trauma out loud can trigger unwanted memories and create a spiral of shame and guilt. Society pressures women into feeling responsible for their assaults, and women thus often feel culpable for their victimhood, wondering if they could have done something differently to prevent it from happening. Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault, but in a world where there is rarely true justice, it’s easy for the victim to blame themself rather than the abuser.
As a woman, when I hear similar stories from women such as Courtney Vucekovich, I empathize, knowing that this could have just as easily been me. I feel frustrated, discouraged, and sad knowing that her tragedy is neither uncommon nor surprising: According to the CDC, over half of women in the US have experienced sexual violence and one in three women have experienced sexual harrasment in a public place. Armie Hammer will forever haunt these women, and his abusive influence continues to contribute to this harmful cycle of mistreatment against others without consequence.
When I mentioned the series to a friend, they admitted they had not heard about it: “Weren’t there rumors that he was a cannibal?” Their uncertainty and distrust of the situation seems to be shared by many, which could be partly due to the lack of media coverage on this important issue. House of Hammer does not appear on popular streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, but instead is only available to watch on Discovery Plus, ten times fewer subscribers than Netflix according to Earth Web. But we have the power to listen to their stories and show solidarity. Women should not feel they have to carry this burden alone. Although it was beyond difficult, both mentally and physically, to listen to these women’s stories and what they experienced, it was necessary.
Hollywood has a dark history of covering up allegations around well respected men in the industry. The “rumors” about Hammer have been circulating for years, yet he was still cast in the recent 2022 film Death on the Nile. Doesn’t this seem odd? As may be expected, in a major industry like Hollywood filmmaking, money comes first. Top executives are incentivized to keep producing profitable movies and even go as far to conceal these allegations. With the overwhelming number of charges against Hammer, it’s hard to believe that major Hollywood studio executives were not aware of his past. Despite this knowledge, Hammer has the power to land roles in films, and Hollywood thrives on his success.
The #MeToo Movement, founded by activist Tarana Burke in 2006, resurfaced around 2017 in a surge of media attention, particularly in its exposure of sexual assault by powerful figures in Hollywood. The movement creates a safe space for survivors to courageously share their individual stories, calling attention to the inconceivable amount of assault against women. Through conversation, women confront the normalization of this issue and advocate for change. In Hollywood, female actors, producers, and directors use their platform to pave the way in bringing awareness of female mistreatment and addressing the gender disparity. Salma Hayek, Gabrielle Union, Emily Ratajkowski, Gabby Douglas, Uma Thurman, Reese Witherspoon, and too many other survivors have come forward. Reese Witherspoon shared her own personal story: “[I feel] true disgust at the director who assaulted me when I was 16 years old and anger at the agents and the producers who made me feel that silence was a condition of my employment.” Women can feel desensitized to these assaults, leaving them afraid to speak up with fear of losing jobs, affecting their reputations, accused of lying, or not being taken seriously. Society has normalized pressuring women to endure their trauma because “boys will be boys.” Powerful women are breaking their silence and standing together, but change can only fully be realized if women are put into equal positions in an industry ruled by men.
The lack of accountability extends to far more people than just Armie Hammer. Directors Woody Allen and Roman Polanski and actor Mel Gibson are prominent figures in the film industry and all share a similar trajectory: a history of repeatedly being accused of abuse and assaults and, ultimately, a complete lack of consequences. Roman Polanski admitted to his charges but was never convicted, and is still supported by people in Hollywood, with an upcoming film soon to be released. Woody Allen continues to direct box-office hits. Mel Gibson is still cast in films by well acclaimed directors and respected actors, starring in the 2022 film Father Stu with Mark Walhberg. Despite allegations backed by evidence, these men are still freely creating art, funded by companies, and collaborating with other famous actors, writers, and directors. The allegations against these well-known men are often viewed as lies and slander, and the victims of these assaults are accused of being attention seekers, thus, allowing men such as Allen, Polanski, and Walhberg to continue putting out art and being celebrated for their work.
And in the case of Hammer, the cracks in his reputation are being sutured by his lawyer Andrew Bettler, well-known for defending celebrities accused of assault. “You have a well-known handsome actor being accused of salacious, kinky interactions with women,” he said. “It captured the public’s attention but was completely blown out of proportion.” Andrew Bettler brushed off the trauma and tragedy of Hammer’s assaults, implying the story blew up because people were bored and eager for entertainment. It’s easy to feel powerless, but as an audience, we have the ability to stop supporting these directors, showing our solidarity with the women whose stories have historically not been told.
An epicenter of corruption, conspiracies, and affluence, Hollywood is a place that readily contains and neutralizes allegations of sexual abuse. Accusations against men in Hollywood appear to have little to no impact on their careers and are often forgotten and buried. With time, Hammer’s comeback will be quite likely. Hollywood still supports Allen, Polanski, and Gibson, so why would it be any different with Hammer? Courtney Vucekovich, Dylan Farrow, Julia Morrison, and all the other many survivors of sexual assault should receive justice, but within a male dominated industry and under-representation in the criminal justice system, the odds are stacked against them. How many more women have to say “Me Too”?