Timothée Chalamet Has One Word to Describe to Former Co-star Armie Hammer's Cannibalism Scandal

Timothée Chalamet sat down for an interview with GQ over the summer, prior to the SAG/AFTRA strikes, for the third “chapter” in a series of interviews chronicling the young star’s rise. In the profile, he responded to the sordid allegations of cannibalism fetish fantasies (as well as sexual misconduct) against his Call Me By Your Name co-star Armie Hammer, nearly three years after the scandal erupted.

At the time the allegations hit, Chalamet happened to be working on the romantic horror movie Bones and All with his Call Me By Your Name director, Luca Guadanigno. The film, based upon Camille DeAngelis’ 2015 novel, concerned two star-crossed cannibalistic lovers (Chalamet and Taylor Russell) who travel across America seeking victims. Its title refers to the ultimate act of love a cannibal can perform, consuming their partner “bones and all.”

Production began on the film just weeks after the Hammer allegations went public, leading many to posit that Chalamet and Guadanigno were inspired by their former associate’s troubles.

“I mean, what were the chances that we’re developing this thing?” Chalamet marveled to GQ about the ironic circumstances. He said the false reports of their intentions to make the film “made me feel like: 'Now I’ve really got to do this.' Because this is actually based on a book.”

As for how the allegations affected Chalamet’s own career and private life, the star was more circumspect.

“I don’t know,” Chalamet said. “These things end up getting clickbaited so intensely.

He summed it up by offering a single word: “Disorienting is a good word."

Hammer has denied criminal wrongdoing, although admitted to being emotionally abusive to women. The allegations immediately derailed the actor’s career. He was dropped from Paramount+’s Godfather series The Offer, and was replaced by Josh Duhamel in the action-comedy Shotgun Wedding.

Bones and All was released last winter to disappointing box office and critical notices, achieving neither the visceral longing of By Your Name nor the full-throated horror of Guadanigno’s Suspiria remake. The movie grossed only $15 million worldwide on a $20 million budget.

Chalamet will next be seen in December's Wonka, and next year's Dune: Part II.