Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name) has left the upcoming Paramount+ original series The Offer, which details the making of the 1972 classic film The Godfather. Hammer is exiting the series amidst controversy regarding alleged graphic messages he sent to women on social media, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Hammer was cast as the lead role Al Ruddy (Million Dollar Baby) in the upcoming series, who was the famed producer of The Godfather. Set to be ten episodes long, it was to follow Ruddy along with the director of the film, Francis Ford Coppola (Apocalypse Now, The Conversation), as they made what is often regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. Marlon Brando (A Streetcar Named Desire) won Best Actor at the Academy Awards for his performance as Vito Corleone, along with it winning Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also starred Al Pacino (Dog Day Afternoon), James Caan (Elf), Diane Keaton (Annie Hall), and Robert Duvall (Apocalypse Now).
This is the second project Hammer has left amidst the alleged social media controversy. Set to star in the romantic comedy film Shotgun Wedding opposite Jennifer Lopez (Hustlers), he exited the project earlier this month amidst allegations that he sent direct messages to a woman on Instagram containing graphic sexual fantasies that included alleged cannibalism. Claiming to have had an affair with Hammer, the woman posted a series of unverified messages coming from him that contained the shocking material.
Hammer released an initial statement after news broke of him leaving Shotgun Wedding in mid January denouncing all allegations. The Hollywood Reporter picked up his full statement: “I’m not responding to these bullshit claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for 4 months to shoot a film (Shotgun Wedding) in the Dominican Republic… Lionsgate is supporting me in this, and I’m grateful to them for that.”
The Offer is executive produced and written by Michael Tolkin (Escape at Dannemora). Ruddy, Nikki Toscano (Hunters) and Leslie Greif (Sun Records) are co-executive producing. Paramount+ network and producer of the series Paramount TV Studios declined to make any comments regarding Hammer’s abrupt exit from the project.