Actor Armie Hammer almost turned down role in gay drama due to too much nudity

Armie Hammer almost turned down his role in upcoming gay coming-of-age film because of excess nudity.

Hammer stars in Call Me By Your Name, the story of 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) living with his parents in Italy during the 1980s. When Oliver (Hammer), a 24-year-old academic relocates to their abode, a striking and electric relationship evolves.

But Hammer almost didn’t accept the role: ‘I did want to pass,’ he reportedly told the Hollywood Reporter. ‘It scared me.’

He went on to explain: ‘I was a little nervous about all the nudity that was originally in the script. I had images of my daughter being at school, and she’s 13 years old, and people are teasing her and printing out pictures of my penis and, I thought, “Oh man!”‘

The film’s director Luca Guadagnino eventually convinced Hammer to take the role. Armie Hammer believes, in the end: ‘This [role] challenged me, it’s the reason I had to take it.’

He went on to explain the state of gay rights in America right now and the need for films like this.

Hammer said: ‘It’s a crazy, bizarre, weird and scary world. Anytime you can infuse a little bit of beauty and remind people that, yes, things might be terrible somewhere else… but you will feel like you’re having a summer vacation if you watch this movie, and just that bit of escapism can be nice too.’

Call Me By Your Name hits cinemas November 24. Check out the trailer below.