There are a few actors that come to mind when one thinks of director Luca Guadagnino: Dakota Johnson, who starred in his films A Bigger Splash and Suspiria; Michael Stuhlbarg, who appeared in Call Me By Your Name and Bones And All; Timothee Chalamet, who also starred in Bones and CMBYN. And then there’s Armie Hammer, whom many might like to forget, if only Dakota Johnson would let us.
During an opening night event at the Sundance Film Festival that honored Ryan Coogler, Nikyatu Jusu, W. Kamau Bell, and Guadagnino, Johnson presented the director with the international icon award. “It was here at Sundance in 2017 that audiences experienced a film that is uniquely characterized by Luca’s iconic approach to storytelling. The vision and the style that is Call Me By Your Name,” Johnson told the crowd (per Variety), joking, “Sadly, I wasn’t in that one. It was unfortunate. Luca had asked me to play the role of the peach but our schedules conflicted.”
(For the uninitiated, Chalamet’s character Elio uses a peach to masturbate in the film, shortly after which Hammer’s character Oliver goes to eat it—though ultimately does not, unlike the Oliver of the novel.)
Johnson went on to quip: “Thank god though, because then I would’ve been another woman that Armie Hammer tried to eat.” After some laughter and cheers from the crowd, she continued, “It’s been five years since that film premiered here and Luca hasn’t stopped taking us to exciting places. Who knew cannibalism was so popular?”
In 2021, Hammer was accused of various abuses, though perhaps the most eyebrow-raising allegation was his supposed cannibal fantasies. That same year, Johnson was asked about Hammer (with whom she appeared in The Social Network) as well as other male co-stars like Johnny Depp and Shia LaBeouf who had been accused of abuse during a Hollywood Reporter interview. She professed not to have any negative experiences with the actors, calling cancel culture a “fucking downer.”
“I had an incredible time working with them; I feel sad for the loss of great artists,” she told the outlet. “I feel sad for people needing help and perhaps not getting it in time. I feel sad for anyone who was harmed or hurt. It’s just really sad. I do believe that people can change. I want to believe in the power of a human being to change and evolve and get help and help other people. I think there’s definitely a major overcorrection happening.” A few snarky remarks in an unrelated speech must not count toward that overcorrection.