Armie Hammer to ‘focus on myself’ after leaving Broadway play

The Hollywood star has released a new statement after leaving another project after police announce investigations into his conduct.

Armie Hammer has released a new statement as he was dropped from the cast of a Broadway play.

The scandal plagued star who was last month accused of sexual assault is now being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department over the claims.

Hammer has now departed Broadway play The Minutes to “focus on myself and my health”, according to a statement he provided to Deadline.

The play by writer Tracey Letts was scheduled to debut in March of 2020, but had already been delayed due to coronavirus restrictions in New York City. The production will now run its 2021-2022 season without Hammer.

“I have loved every single second of working on The Minutes with the family I made from Steppenwolf,” Hammer said. “But right now I need to focus on myself and my health for the sake of my family. Consequently, I will not be returning to Broadway with the production.”

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Armie Hammer has left Broadway play ‘The Minutes’ amid investigations by the LAPD. Picture: Chris Delmas / AFP

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A statement from the play’s production team said they wished Hammer the best.

“Armie remains a valued colleague to all of us who have worked with him onstage and offstage on The Minutes. We wish only the best for him and respect his decision.”

Hammer would have been appearing on stage with writer Letts and Blair Brown (Orange Is The New Black) among others, after also leaving upcoming film Shotgun Wedding, with Jennifer Lopez.

It comes after a woman named Effie accused Hammer of sexually assaulting her in a press conference last month — a claim Hammer has denied.

Effie, who didn’t reveal her last name, appeared alongside high profile lawyer Gloria Allred and alleged, while sobbing, that the Call Me By Your Name star raped her on April 24, 2017 when she was 20 years old.

Hammer’s lawyer denied all of Effie’s claims in a statement to the New York Post following the press conference.

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The woman known as Effie accused Hammer of abuse during a news conference last month. Picture: Courtesy Gloria Allred

“(Effie’s) own correspondence with Mr Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations. As recently as July 18, 2020, (Effie) sent graphic texts to Mr Hammer telling him what she wanted him to do to her,” the statement read.

“Mr Hammer responded making it clear that he did not want to maintain that type of relationship with her.

“It was never Mr Hammer’s intention to embarrass or expose (Effie’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,” the statement continued.

“With the truth on his side, Mr Hammer welcomes the opportunity to set the record straight.

“From day one, Mr Hammer has maintained that all of his interactions with (Effie) – and every other sexual partner of his for that matter – have been completely consensual, discussed and agreed upon in advance, and mutually participatory. (Effie’s) attention seeking and ill-advised legal bid will only make it more difficult for real victims of sexual violence to get the justice they deserve.”

Hammer on stage in 2019 at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Picture: Tommaso Boddi / Getty Images North America / AFP

One of Hammer’s ex girlfriends, Courtney Vucekovich, told the New York Post he’d described wanting to “barbecue and eat” her and alleged he’d been emotionally abusive.

“He quickly grooms you in the relationship,” she said. “He kind of captivates you and while being charming, he’s grooming you for these things that are darker and heavier and consuming. When I say consuming, I mean mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, just everything.”

Another of Hammer’s exes Paige Lorenze claimed to us that he used a knife to carve the letter “A” into her skin near her vagina and would allegedly intentionally bruise her as a branding method.

Hammer was dropped by his talent agency and publicist after unverified messages allegedly sent by The Social Network star surfaced in February. The messages showed descriptions of unusual sexual fantasies, including references to cannibalism.

Hammer has previously called the allegations “bulls**t” and said the messages were “patently untrue”.

“Any interactions with this person, or any partner of his, were completely consensual in that they were fully discussed, agreed upon, and mutually participatory,” his lawyer, Andrew Brettler, told Fox News in February.

“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.”

Originally published as Armie Hammer to ‘focus on myself’ after leaving Broadway play