Kendall Roy has got nothing on Casey Hammer.
(The actor has denied all of the allegations against him.)
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did your involvement in the series come to be?
Casey Hammer in ‘House of Hammer’.Discovery+
CASEY HAMMER:When I wroteSurviving My Birthright, it was more of a healing.
When I finished and self-published it, I remember getting the first copy.
It was like, “Wow, I’m holding validation of my life.”
Armie Hammer in the ‘House of Hammer’ poster.Discovery+
I controlled the narrative.
It helped me."
And it would mean the world to me.
Armand Hammer in 1977.BERTRAND LAFORET/Gamma-Rapho/Getty
One of my coworkers was like, “Casey, you should probably get on TikTok.
There’s someone called@thezenblondeblowing you up.”
I’m tech challenged, so I don’t do social media, really.
Armie Hammer.Christopher Polk/Getty
I think it was at least 14 TikTok viral videos.
It’s like being on a roller coaster and just taking the death drop.
A few months later, because of @thezenblonde exposing my book, the producers came forward.
I didn’t want to be a soundbite for his implosion.
That’s not what I wanted to speak to.
I wanted to talk about the victims.
That was the true spotlight of everything.
I wanted to be an advocate for their healing.
Because I was raised that way, I didn’t know any better.
We didn’t have social media.
It’s not like I could check to see if there were other wealthy families that were this dysfunctional.
Once you walked out the front door, you couldn’t talk about anything.
You had to be perfect.
It was all about image and control.
That’s a long-winded answer of why I’m so passionate about it.
Were there any reservations to revisit the past after reexamining it in your memoir?
Even when I watchHouse of Hammer,I am retriggered.
It’s hard to watch.
But again, that was my life.
It’s hard to watch.
I mean, of course I’m fearful.
My family’s always been very threatening.
They have nobody policing them.
They can get away with murder.
The docuseries talks about consent too, which is also a very important topic.
And if they don’t, that’s criminal, and they need to be held accountable.
What were some of the ramifications, if any, of telling your story with your memoir?
Didn’t stop any of it.
So that was a whole other issue to have to deal with.
I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you."
It didn’t happen.
So it was more about my process and being okay with me.
I used to always say, “Your family doesn’t necessarily have to be your blood.
It can be the people that you choose to surround yourself with.”
Most of my family passed away.
It was a very small family.
My father was an only child.
I’m not in contact with any of [my surviving family].
When I sawHouse of Hammer, I was shocked.
And it’s my life.
I have always feared for my life and the ramifications being raised in this family.
I could choose to live in fear to this day, but then I’m giving my power away.
That’s where my head is these days.
You serve as a consultant on the series.
Did you learn any new or surprising information about your family while working on this?
I ask because I went into this thinking, “I know what this will be about.”
Then I’m told, “Armand was a Soviet spy.”
I knew some of the authors that have contributed and wrote books about my grandfather.
But then again, there were some things that came out that I was shocked about.
I don’t know if they just didn’t tell me because they wanted it to be a surprise.
But remember that we only had three [hours total in episodes].
I mean, there can be so much more that could be uncovered.
It’s just mind boggling.
What was your relationship like with him when he was growing up?
He was a toe-head little boy that was gorgeous, but he was a brat.
It was all for the cameras, and everywhere we went was photographed or videotaped.
My grandfather had a production company that followed us around everywhere.
And we were under surveillance whether we were with the family or not.
What has your relationship been like with him in the last couple of years?
I don’t have one.
Hollywood seems to be an idyllic place for men accused of terrible things.
Do you think we’ll be seeing an Armie Hammer redemptive arc in the future?
I just want people held accountable.
They’re all about redemption and righting a wrong.
I’ve seen that like a tidal wave.
So I just see it as, “Let them decide on their own.”
For me, I believe in the justice system.
I mean, how this kind of behavior is happening now.
It’s something that needs to stop.
There are people that are going to help you.
I’m just proud to be a part of it.
[Laughs]So, funny story.
I love you for that one.
When my grandfather died, I could do anything I wanted, meaning I could choose any career path.
I always wanted to be an actor.
I gave up my retail career.
I was studying, studying, studying.
Talk about nepotism and its hold, right?
Because I couldn’t get an agent.
The most exciting thing was, yes, I was in that movie withSteve Martin.
Steve Martin used to come to the parties at my grandfather’s, at the [Hammer Museum].
But it was funny because it’s like, that was my high point.
I had one line, and I made it, and I was even in the trailer.
I still love to watch it just because it was pretty fun.
I want to be a producer because they have more control."
That’s how I was raised.
So that was my journey.
I could do whatever I want to do."
It was very freeing for me.
Would you ever consider a return to Hollywood, whether in front of the camera or behind it?
I think that’s my journey now.
In my 20s I might have had a completely different answer for you.
But right now it’s like, you know what?
I just want to live my best life.
I want to write my books.
I want to speak and I just want to change lives.
But now, if I can just help a few people and make a difference…
Your memoir, your entire life, really, is a story of hope and reclaiming one’s self.
What are some of the things that give you hope these days?
Well, I just finished writing a children’s story.
I hope to get a publisher and turn it into a Disney or a Pixar animated film.
It’s about a little girl having the best childhood ever.
So it’s like, little Casey.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
All three episodes ofHouse of Hammerare available to stream now on Discovery+.
