Armie Hammer Defends The Age Gap In ‘Call Me By Your Name’

Call Me By Your Name star Armie Hammer has defended the age gap between the movie’s two central characters.

The 2017 film follows the gay love affair between 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and 24 Oliver (Hammer), leading many to criticise the film.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Armie Hammer defended Elio and Oliver’s relationship, insisting that they weren’t trying to purposely make it seem “predatory”.

“We weren’t trying to make some salacious, predatory movie,” he said. “The age of consent in Italy is 14. So, to get technical, it’s not illegal there. Whether I agree with that or not, that’s a whole ‘nother Oprah, you know?”

He later admitted that if he had a 17-year-old child who was dating someone in their mid-20s, then he would “probably” feel uncomfortable.

“But this isn’t a normal situation: The younger guy goes after the older guy. The dynamic is not older predatory versus younger boy.”

The 31-year-old actor also revealed how Luca Guadagino, the film’s director, threw the actors into the deep end to help make them feel more comfortable with the film’s many intimate moments.

Hammer explained: “It was our first official rehearsal. We’re in the field behind the villa – me, Timothee and Luca. And Luca says, ‘Let’s just start with scene 62.’”

“So we flip to the scene, and the stage directions read: ‘Elio and Oliver are laying on the berm making out aggressively.’”

Hammer admitted that there was a moment of quiet hesitation before the two actors “just went for it.”

“Trial by fire,” he joked.