One day, he’ll play the most famous twins since the Olsens in 2010’s “The Social Network.” A few years later, he stars opposite Johnny Depp in the title role of 2013’s “The Lone Ranger.” Armie Hammer may not have many big and small screen credits yet, but his success in recent years shows that he’s a promising force to be reckoned with.
Born on August 28, 1986 to parents Michael and Dru Ann Hammer, Armie spent the early years of his childhood moving between Los Angeles, Texas, and the Cayman Islands. By the time he reached his teens, the family had moved back to Los Angeles, where Armie still has his home. Armie’s immediate family includes his younger brother, Victor, and his wife, Elizabeth Chambers.
Armie comes from a prominent family that includes his oil magnate great-grandfather, Armand Hammer, his maternal grandfather and Tulsa real estate developer, Doug Mobley, and his paternal great-grandmother and Russian-born actress, Olga Vadina. Her own parents are no strangers to her prominence, running the Armand Hammer Foundation, a philanthropic organization named after her great-grandfather. Her father’s entrepreneur is also the owner, founder, or member of the board of directors of many other organizations and companies, including Hammer International Foundation, Los Angeles Dream Center, Pepperdine University, Oral Roberts University, Hammer Galleries, and Hammer Productions. Mom Dru Ann serves alongside her husband in many of her board and business roles.
It was Armie’s father’s love of the movie “The Firm” that started the family’s relationship with the Cayman Islands in the 1990s. After frequent travel, the family moved to the Cayman Islands in 1993, where Michael founded Grace Christian Academy, a private school. While there, Armie’s father also founded a Christian radio station serving the Cayman Islands. Armie attended the school that his father founded while living in the Caribbean.
After the family returned to Southern California, Armie attended Los Angeles Baptist High School before dropping out in eleventh grade to pursue acting. Although her parents run Hammer Productions, a film production company, Armie’s decision to enter that industry, especially after leaving school, left a bit of a rift in her family. However, as Armie grew in his acting career, he became involved in college-level studies at both Pasadena City College and UCLA.
Armie grew organically in his acting career, beginning with one-off appearances on a variety of television shows. Between 2005 and 2007, he appeared in “Arrested Development,” “Veronica Mars,” and “Desperate Housewives.” He also had a minor role in the 2006 film version of “Flicka.” His casting fortunes began to turn in 2008 and 2009, as Armie landed recurring roles on the TV shows “Gossip” and “Reaper,” as well as increasingly prominent roles in the movies “Blackout,” “Spring Breakdown” and “2081”. Armie also played Billy Graham in “Billy: The Early Years.”
Ever since landing the roles of the two Winklevoss twins on “The Social Network,” Armie’s star has been on the rise. She followed up “The Social Network” with roles in 2011’s “J. Edgar” and 2012’s “Mirror Mirror” opposite Julia Roberts. She made a big splash when she landed the role of the Lone Ranger in the film of the same title, a film endowed with the epic acting weight of Johnny Depp playing Bull. “The Lone Ranger” also stars Hollywood stars William Fichtner and Helena Bonham Carter, leaving Armie surrounded by decades of acting excellence.
The next few years look equally bright for Armie Hammer. He has been cast in the movies “The Man from UNCLE” and “2:22” and is rumored to be linked to “Serpent Girl” with actresses Helen Hunt and Malin Akerman. Armie has also tapped into his acting talents in recent voice-over roles on “The Simpsons” and “American Dad.” As his popularity continues to grow by leaps and bounds, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Armie can look forward to exciting opportunities in the future. Having co-starred against some of the biggest names in Hollywood, one can only wonder who she’ll pair up with next.
Armie married his wife Elizabeth Chambers on May 20, 2010 after a nine-month engagement. Chambers, who also spent her formative years in California, has gained recognition as a model and actress. Most recently, Chambers has acted as a reporter for Current TV, with additional reporting on the air with The Speed Channel, NBC, Fox and E! Entertainment. The couple split their time between Los Angeles and Chambers’ hometown of San Antonio, Texas. While Armie travels to his filming locations across the country, Chambers opened a bakery in the Alamo Heights neighborhood.
