Armie Hammer is possibly getting the best reviews of his life for Call Me By Your Name, the small film set in Italy where he seduces (or is seduced by) a 17-year-old played by Timothee Chalamet. Armie is also getting a lot of Woke Ally points for not shying away from playing this character and for defending the film. Armie’s actually been posing like a furry pin-up for a few months, and I can imagine a lot of men will be buying Armie drinks from here on out. Armie covers the latest issue of Out Magazine, but the piece isn’t a straight-up interview – it’s about how the film was made, how sensuality lies at the heart of it, and how Armie is really proud of it. He should be – there’s a good chance this film is going to be MAJOR Oscar-bait. You can read Out’s cover story here. Some highlights:
Armie on the intimacy of the film: “I’ve never been so intimately involved with a director before… Luca [Guadagnino] was able to look at me and completely undress me. He knew every single one of my insecurities, every time I needed to be pushed, and when I needed to be protected…. I probably fell in love with Luca the same way Elio fell in love with [my character] Oliver. I looked at him with amazement.”
The story involves Elio’s father approving of his son’s liaison & sexuality: “Someone said to me, ‘Wow, Mr. Perlman is such a radical father.’ I stopped them and said, ‘If his speech to his son about knowing yourself, and being OK with yourself because it doesn’t matter, is a radical position for a father, then may we all be radicalized.”
Armie almost turned down the role: “It seemed so subtle, so personal, and so real that I didn’t know if I could do that as an actor. I didn’t know if I had it in me to give such a tender performance. It scared me… [Luca] assuaged all my apprehensions by helping me to realize that fear and desire are part and parcel.”
Armie knows he can’t really front a franchise: “I think when I started having success in this business, largely as a result of The Social Network, people thought, Big, tall, handsome guy, let’s get him in front of a franchise, let’s make some big movies!, but it just didn’t pan out as everyone thought it would. That ended up being a blessing in disguise, because I got to consciously shift gears after The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and make these little movies that would push me. I hope this movie will lead to more of the same, and I hope people don’t necessarily associate me with the guy who wants to make big movies.”
He loves this film: “I know that I will carry the experience of making this movie for the rest of my life. I don’t want to say movies can change the world, but if we can change one person’s perspective, we can change that person’s world.”
I do think Armie was seen, at one point, as the next big thing, the new guy who could front franchises and be a major movie star. But after seeing him in various films… I think right now, he’s at home in smaller films and finding a niche as an unlikely character actor. Maybe he’ll be that franchise guy at some point – men are given more time than women to grow – but for now, I like that he’s doing stuff like this. And if it ends up with an Oscar nomination for Armie, so be it!
Here’s the trailer for Call Me By Your Name:
Cover courtesy of Out, photo courtesy of Getty.
I think the fact that he is concerned with being capable of giving a tender performance speaks volumes of his capacity as an actor. It shows that he’s committed to giving the best performance possible. I like that about him.
He is sinfully attractive with that beard. Can you pre-order forgiveness? Because lord if I’d I ever see that man in person…let’s just say it’s gonna be a problem. 😛
Armie did the audiobook for Call Me By Your Name, I would like to recommend that you all give that a listen. So Good.
I just downloaded it and haven’t had a chance to listen! I can’t wait!
I was about to real annoyed preparing for some toxic masculine nonsense about how men don’t know how to be emotional, but he stated that much better than I expected. Honestly, he seems to be handling his lack of big name fame pretty well. That kind of admission – I can’t really front a franchise – doesn’t strike me as particularly easy for an actor to admit to, so he may actually do well if he’s willing to focus more on character acting and small parts.
He was cast as Batman back when George Miller was going to make Justice League, years ago. I think that was before The Social Network?
Anyway … he probably would have accepted leading a franchise if it had panned out but I too am impressed by him not seeing it as a bad thing and embracing smaller films.
So gorgeous.
Armie and Timothee Chalamet have beautiful chemistry on Call Me By Your Name. Timothee Chalamet should definitely get that Oscar nomination. I’m glad Armie said yes to the role. He’s perfect for Oliver. The book is the sexiest book I’ve ever read.
I am really looking forward to the film. Such glowing reviews.
Aww he’s adorable in THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
The best thing about that movie is the homoerotic undertone between him and Cavill. It’s a much better movie if you’re alert to the innuendo. It’s still not a great movie, but it is enjoyable.
Hell. Yes.
To the homoerotic undertones. So sad there won’t be a sequel.
I loved everything about that movie: the gorgeous men and women, the fashion, the scenery. It was so much fun!!
He should be proud of what he can do. From what he’s been saying lately, I feel like this movie and this role in particular have opened his eyes and his mind about his approach towards acting. He’s definitely grown up in that sense.
I cannot wait to see Call Me By Your Name again. It’s so wonderful, and all of this coverage is making me swoon all over again. Armie and Timothée are magic together.