Andrew Garfield recently revealed on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast that he initially felt “too old” to portray Peter Parker/Spider-Man during his audition for The Amazing Spider-Man. At 25 or 26 years old, Garfield worried he wouldn’t convincingly play a high school student. “I felt I was too old… I know I have good genes, but I don’t know,” he admitted. Despite his reservations, he was surprised when he received an opportunity for a screen test.
Garfield credited his acting coach, Greta Seacat, for helping him change his mindset during the screen test. Her advice? To approach it as if it “doesn’t f—ing matter.” According to Garfield, Seacat encouraged him to view the screen test as making a short film with his high school friends. This shift in perspective allowed Garfield to relax and perform more naturally. “I remember that feeling of ‘I don’t give a f—,’” he said, noting that it made him feel emotionally free.
Though Garfield’s time as Spider-Man was brief, concluding with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, he reprised the role in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which earned $1.9 billion worldwide. When asked if he would consider returning to the character, Garfield told Esquire that he would “100%” be open to it if the project presented a unique and exciting challenge.
