Armie Hammer is sticking to his word that he is not a cannibal ... but he is copping to eating a freshly killed animal's heart while on a hunting trip with his pals.

The "Social Network" actor set the scene for the gory memory on Tuesday's "The Louis Theroux Podcast," explaining that taking a bite out of an animal's heart is "almost an overly charged male rite of passage when you go hunting for your first time."

He confirmed he did not eat the whole heart ... and that he did not consume it for "the purpose of any cannibalism or any sexual gratification."

Fans will recall, Armie's career took a huge hit in 2021 after a number of his exes came forward alleging abuse ... with Effie Angelova accusing him of sexual assault and intense cannibalistic fantasies. He denied the accusations, but admitted he talked about cannibalism as a kink.

Effie also claimed they had an on-and-off affair for 4 years while he was married to Elizabeth Chambers ... they separated in 2020 and finalized their divorce in 2023.

However, Armie was not charged with rape, or any crime, after a lengthy LAPD investigation -- during which he sold his beloved truck, and took a gig as a timeshare salesman in the Cayman Islands to make cash.

Armie is now slowly making his way back into acting, starting with the Western film "Frontier Crucible."