Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of Spider-Man inThe Amazing Spider-Manmovies elevated the actor’s career to a stratospheric level overnight. However, the success and fame that comes with donning the red and blue costume of Marvel’s most profitable and iconic hero comes at a price. As Garfield recently revealed during an appearance at the Marrakech Film Festival (viaVariety), the benefits of stepping into the role of Spider-Man were offset by interviewers and fans only ever wanting to talk about the web-slinger.
As part of the jury at the festival, Garfield has found himself in a commanding position in Hollywood over the last decade, from being sought for some coveted roles to finding himself on nomination short-lists for many awards.As he explained to the press, though, there have been many struggles to break free from the shadow cast by his short time as a Marvel hero.He said:
“I had to work very hard to have less people ask questions about Spider-Man.”
After being asked another question about his superhero movies, Garfield added,“I’m still working on it, obviously. It’s an imperfect process.”
Of course, some would see it as a small price to pay for what followed, which, as Garfield continued, included working with greats like Martin Scorsese, who seemed to benefit from having a Spider-Man actor in his movieSilence.
“[I am] grateful for that time [because] it allowed me to maybe have an easier shot at working with people like Martin Scorsese straight after. I think Marty probably was able to get a passion project made with a guy who played Spider-Man in the lead to play a Jesuit priest in the 1600s of Japan. The fact that that film got made with the help of Spider-Man is a beautiful thing.”
Andrew Garfield Has Returned to Spider-Man Again
While Garfield may note that he cannot escape questions about Spider-Man, whatever chance he had of escaping the Marvel web became hopeless when he slipped back into the one-piece suit of Peter Parker’s alter-ego for Marvel Studios’ box office behemoth,Spider-Man: No Way Homein 2021. As one of three Spider-Men to appear in the MCU’s multiverse movie, Garfield’s appearance has renewed calls for him to get a third solo movie as the character, and for him to come back forTom Holland’s next Spider-Man adventure, andAvengers: Secret Wars.
However, you do not have to go far to discover that Garfield’s versatility spreads far beyond the world of Marvel movies. After his first time as Peter Parker, Garfield carefully selected projects that could redefine his career and slightly distance himself from big blockbusters. In 2016, he took on a role in Mel Gibson’s war dramaHacksaw Ridge, portraying real-life war hero Desmond Doss, and it was in the same year he starred in Martin Scorsese’sSilence. He also received incredible praise, and plenty of awards, forhis lead role in the musical biographyTick, Tick… Boom!in which he portrayed Jonathan Larson, and more acclaim for the TV seriesUnder the Banner of Heaven.
Best Andrew Garfield Movies, Ranked
Andrew Garfield has consistently delivered captivating, awards-worthy performances. Here’s a look into the best movies of his career so far.
Although Garfield is among the many MCU stars that will never be able to completely escape their superhero pasts, he has clearly proven his worth beyond the celluloid fantasy world of comic book heroes and villains. However, he still will be answering questions about his time as a superhero for many years to come.
