Hammer, never one to shy away from a challenge, fired back with a pointed question: “Didn’t you date a 19-year-old when you were 60……?” The retort referenced Woods’ past relationships with significantly younger women, including Ashley Madison, whom he dated at 19 when he was 59, and Kristen Bauguess, who was 20 when they began dating in 2013. The jab struck a nerve, exposing what many saw as Woods’ selective moral outrage. The exchange didn’t stop there. Actress Amber Tamblyn entered the fray, alleging that Woods had once tried to pick her up at a restaurant when she was 16, claiming he responded, “Even better,” when she revealed her age. Tamblyn’s accusation, backed by a screenshot of a text exchange with a friend, added fuel to the fire, painting Woods as predatory and intensifying the online uproar.
Woods, undeterred, dismissed Tamblyn’s claim as a “lie” and doubled down on his stance, arguing that the film’s subject matter was “illegal” while brushing off the backlash as “troll traffic.” Yet, in a surprising twist, he also praised Hammer’s acting talent, tweeting, “I like Armie Hammer as an actor though. A lot.” This contradictory tone—condemning the film while complimenting its star—only deepened the mystery surrounding his motives. Was Woods genuinely offended by the film’s narrative, or was he baiting controversy to stay relevant? His history of provocative tweets, including past remarks criticized as transphobic and homophobic, suggests a pattern of courting attention through divisive rhetoric.
The fallout captivated social media, with figures like Lena Dunham praising Hammer and Tamblyn for their sharp responses. The hashtag #NAMBLA trended briefly, as did discussions about age-of-consent laws, given that the film is set in Italy, where the age of consent is 14, unlike California’s 18. Supporters of Call Me By Your Name argued that the film’s tender, consensual romance was being unfairly maligned, while Woods’ critics pointed to his personal history as evidence of hypocrisy. The debate spilled into broader conversations about Hollywood’s portrayal of relationships, consent, and the politicization of art.
As the dust settles, the Woods-Hammer clash remains a lightning rod for discussion. Hammer later expressed mild regret over the viral nature of his response, noting he hadn’t anticipated its traction but stood by his sentiment. Tamblyn, in an open letter in Teen Vogue, framed the incident as part of a larger societal issue of dismissing women’s stories. The feud, though brief, underscores the power of social media to amplify personal and ideological conflicts, leaving the public hungry for more details about the secrets driving this Hollywood drama.
