Armie Hammer, implicated in a cannibalism scandal, has dramatically changed his image as he returns to Hollywood.

Armie Hammer, whose film career collapsed in 2021 after allegations of sexual harassment and cannibalism, surprised the public with a new look, appearing in a photo on a banned social network*. Now, even his fans barely recognize the disgraced actor, known for his roles in "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Call Me by Your Name."

It turns out that during his lull, the 39-year-old actor has noticeably gained muscle mass and grown a thick mustache. Combined with his matured features, he now looks more like a '90s action star than the romantic hero he was once considered. Fans have already dubbed Hammer's new look "brutal macho."

The image makeover coincided with the actor's active return to the profession. After several years of obscurity, Hammer starred in two films at once: the western "Blood on the Border," with Thomas Jane and William H. Macy, and cult director Uwe Boll's action film "Citizen Avenger," in which he played the lead role of a man who takes justice into his own hands.

The actor himself admits that he feels confident and has even begun to turn down roles. "I'm turning down offers. My dance schedule is pretty busy," Art Threat quotes the actor from an interview with the podcast Your Mom's House. According to Hammer, he no longer needs to return to big-time cinema. "I'm happy just doing interesting low-budget films," he said.

However, the road back was long and painful. In 2021, several women accused Hammer of sexualized violence, psychological abuse, and cannibalism. His text messages were leaked online, describing his fantasies, including the infamous line "I'm 100% a cannibal," which the actor later called "a joke that went too far." He lost all his projects, including a film with Jennifer Lopez and a role in the series "The Proposal." His agents and publicists abandoned him, and his wife, Elizabeth Chambers, filed for divorce.

In 2023, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office declined to indict the actor due to insufficient evidence. Afterward, Hammer began his return to Hollywood. He completed rehab for addictions, began therapy, and, according to a recent interview with Us Weekly, "apologized to everyone I harmed and continues to work on myself." He is now focused on raising his two children—11-year-old Harper and nine-year-old Ford—and trying to maintain a good relationship with his ex-wife.

The actor admits he now lives modestly: he moved from a $5 million mansion to a "tiny apartment" and even refused help from his mother when she wanted to buy him a new car. "I prefer to earn my own money. Anything you get for free always has consequences," Hammer philosophizes in the same interview.

Photo: Getty Images/David Livingston Still from a photo shoot/Kinopoiskarmiehammer_ita/Instagram**