The idea of cancel culture has been around for more than a decade now and almost everyone has heard of the term, if not of a celebrity who was “cancelled”. But in light of the apparent suicide of an Oxford University student in January of this year after he was ostracised by his peers, a coroner has called on the government to review cancel culture on university campuses. Naturally, a few questions arise from this. Is cancel culture effective against sexual assaulters and abusers? Does it truly have long-lasting effects on those who seemingly deserve it?
Celebrities are the obvious choice for a case study. Take Armie Hammer for example. Hammer was anonymously accused in 2021 of sending sexual messages to many women, before being accused of sexually assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Efrosina Angelova. Many remember Hammer after this case as being accused of being a cannibal by Angelova and chances are this is how you remember him today.
After being investigated, no legal action was taken against him, but he was ostracised online by many. Now, Hammer is attempting a comeback, with a podcast, interviews with famous presenters (Piers Morgan and Bill Maher), and starring in a new film. Though we don’t truly know the extent of his comeback, the fact that he would even attempt one is a shocking revelation to many, leaving some wondering: who is supporting his comeback?
Though old, a famous case of a celebrity avoiding cancel culture is Roman Polanski. For over 40 years, Polanski has been accused by numerous women of sexual assault and the rape of minors, from 1977 onwards. Polanski even pled guilty to “unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor” after being arrested in 1977. Yet, in 2002 he directed The Pianist, a film that won three Oscars, including best director—twenty-five years after pleading guilty to statutory rape. Polanski was also supported by many of those within Hollywood at the time. But, when the #MeToo movement arrived, Polanski was removed from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a result of his many criminal cases. He is also currently being sued by a woman who alleges he raped her in his house in 1973.
Though these are only two cases of celebrities being ostracised for their crimes, there are so many more that I couldn’t possibly list them in an article. Hammer and Polanski are probably the most sinister examples of cancel culture within recent pop-culture history. But was this truly a result of cancel culture? These two examples include celebrities who were ostracised for pleading guilty to and alleged crimes. Which raises the question, is that really the fault of cancel culture, or have they just been legitimately ostracised for violating the law?