Armie Hammer Departs Jennifer Lopez Rom-Com Amid Social Media Scandal

Armie Hammer has bowed out of a romantic comedy he was set to star alongside Jennifer Lopez amid a brewing controversy involving alleged leaked messages about his sex life.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. star, 34, was due to start filming Shotun Wedding in the Dominican Republic in February. But on Wednesday (Jan 13), a rep for the Lionsgate production said, “Given the imminent start date of Shotgun Wedding, Armie has requested to step away from the film and we support him in his decision.”

His role will now be recast.

News of Hammer quitting comes days after unsettlingly comments attributed to the actor appeared on social media over the weekend. The authenticity of these direct Instagram messages has not yet been verified.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Hammer said, “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 in the Dominican Republic. Lionsgate is supporting me in this and I’m grateful to them for that.”

According to Page Six, these messages, leaked by anonymous social media account under the name of House of Effie, contained graphic sexual fantasies of rape and cannibalism.

In one message to a woman, Hammer allegedly wrote that he is “100 per cent a cannibal” and “desired to drink your blood.” In another message, he purportedly talked about “cutting toes”.

Shotgun Wedding, to be helmed by Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore, follows Darcy (Lopez) and Tom (the character Hammer was supposed to play) as they gather their families for a destination wedding. But things go sideways when the entire party is taken hostage.

In a candid 2013 interview with Playboy ( via Page Six), Hammer said that he’s a “dominant lover” who liked “grabbing women by the neck and hair.” But he said that his sexual appetites changed after marrying his now-divorced wife Elizabeth Chambers. He added, “It gets to a point where you say, ‘I respect you too much to do these things that I kind of want to do.”

Hammer later blamed alcohol for being too forthcoming in that Playboy story. He told E! News, “Don’t drink during an interview.”

Photos: TPG News/Click Photos