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Given the massive popularity of the superhero genre, countless actors have become comic book characters. The Social Network’s Andrew Garfield is no exception, as he starred as Peter Parker in both Amazing Spider-Man movies. Although Garfield recently recalled the downside of playing the beloved Marvel hero.
The first Amazing Spider-Man movie came a few years after Tobey Maguire’s trilogy wrapped up. Andrew Garfield had some big shoes to fill, and brought a unique energy to Peter Parker. The 38 year-old actor was recently asked if it was strange to be catapulted into superstardom thanks to the role, saying:
It was. I kind of resisted it a lot. I was young. I was 25, 26--even though that’s, you know, arguably an adult. When I was 26, no I was not an adult. It was just a lot to hold. I struggled to hold it all. I kind of rejected it a lot.
While being famous is something so many dream of, the reality of it is quite different. And for Andrew Garfield, the pressure and notoriety that came with playing Spider-Man is something that he struggled with. He’s been able to continue working in the years since, but with great power comes great responsibility.
Andrew Garfield’s comments about his time starring as The Amazing Spider-Man come from his recent appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show. While promoting his new movie The Eyes of Tammy Faye, his years as Peter Parker understandably came up. And it sounds like the notoriety of the gig was draining at the time.
Spider-Man fans can enjoy a number of web slinging content on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
In the same appearance, Andrew Garfield went on to clarify that he never had an issue with actually playing Peter Parker in the Amazing Spider-Man movies. Instead, it was all of the things that come with such a high-profile role. With current Spider-Man Tom Holland recently being photographed by paparazzi, he can likely relate. Garfield went on,
Not about the work, the work was fine. It was the attention that I struggled with to be honest. The visibility. The being known. The not being able to walk around the street and have a relationship or have a meal with people. I found that quite intrusive and quite difficult. It was straight after the film came out. Everything just kind of flipped.
While Andrew Garfield has continued to make high-profile films and even star in a Broadway play, it seems that Spider-Man level of fame really changed his day to day life. He went on to explain how he felt on display, whether it be by paparazzi or just fans trying to sneak a photo.
Given this information, one has to feel for Andrew Garfield, especially since he’s constantly being asked about possibly playing Peter Parker again. There’s a popular rumor about Spider-Man: No Way Home circulating around the internet claiming that Garfield and Tobey Maguire will both be back for an epic Spidey crossover. He’s denied this multiple times, but the questions keep coming.
The Eyes of Tammy Faye is in theaters now and Spider-Man: No Way Home will follow on December 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
