During the filming of Call Me By Your Name, Armie Hammer portrayed the character Oliver, engaging in a passionate romance with Timothée Chalamet’s Elio in the backdrop of an idyllic Italian summer. While scenes featured Hammer and Chalamet together in the nude, viewers will not witness explicit details.
This is a result of contractual clauses barring frontal nudity for both actors and creative choices made by director Luca Guadagnino. Hammer expressed relief that the film’s intimate imagery remained limited to his rear end.
Armie Hammer Was Very Comfortable On The Sets
Armie Hammer conveyed his confidence in their working environment while discussing his involvement in the romantic drama alongside Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name, directed by Luca Guadagnino, during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Hammer told The Hollywood Reporter:
“Everything felt so safe. We felt like we were in such capable hands. We felt like we had such freedom to explore, and to be ourselves, and to mess up, and it was all okay. No matter what happened, it felt like we were really protected.”
Hammer expressed his ease on set, mentioning that during breaks between nude scenes, he declined a robe, asserting, “It’s fine, we’re going to shoot it again in a second. You just feel safe.”
Hammer acknowledged his limited impulse control, explaining that he struggled to refrain from engaging in unnecessary conversations. He emphasized how these interactions could escalate quickly, transforming a trivial matter into a consuming distraction.
In his view, these distractions occupied valuable mental bandwidth that could have been better utilized on more productive pursuits. He suggested that by simply setting aside one’s phone, these distractions would dissipate, revealing their lack of substance and importance.
Armie Hammer Didn’t Want To Play Leonardo DiCaprio’s Lover
When offered the supporting role of Clyde Tolson, the love interest of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character in the film J. Edgar, Armie Hammer initially had reservations about accepting it. He expressed his initial difficulty in grasping the essence of Clyde Tolson’s character.
Hammer said (via Backstage):
“He didn’t make sense to me. I didn’t get why Clyde stuck around and took Edgar’s hot-and-cold abuse. I didn’t understand the depth of their love and the complications of their relationship.”
When the casting director, who happened to be J. Edgar Hoover’s “confidant and lifelong companion,” suggested that he auditioned for the role, Armie Hammer initially declined. Yet, when his agent continued to push, emphasizing Clint Eastwood’s strong desire for him to try out for the part, the star of Call Me by Your Name eventually consented.
Consequently, he decided to audition for the role of Tolson, and a week later, he received a call from the filmmaker informing him that he had been chosen for the part.
Call Me By Your Name is available for rent on Apple TV.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Backstage
