The Andrew Garfield Renaissance

by John Downey '23 on January 29, 2022
A&E Co-Editor


Arts & Entertainment


The Andrew Garfield Renaissance

The Actor’s Recent Resurgence in Popularity

Kate Picone ’22

Note: This article contains potential spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home

Until his intense performance as Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network, Andrew Garfield’s career was not recognized by the mainstream media. After viewers watched his iconic speech at the end of the film, however, he began to receive much more recognition for his authentic acting onscreen and charisma on the red carpet. He is currently experiencing a particular surge in popularity. 

After The Social Network, Garfield was cast as Peter Parker in Sony’s The Amazing Spider-Man, and even though he is one of three actors who have played a live-action version of the superhero in the past two decades, his portrayal of Spider-Man remains unique and beloved. 

Indeed, Garfield brought to the role the boyish charm that Peter Parker is supposed to have, while also incorporating Spider-Man’s wit and sarcasm into his interpretation of the character. In The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, Garfield compels the audience with his adorable nerdiness, fumbling over his words when talking to Gwen Stacy, his love interest, — and his strength when saving the people of New York. 

This role remains Garfield’s most iconic to date. As a result, even though the actor has maintained a lower profile in recent years, fans of Spider-Man were quick to hope that he would make an appearance in the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man series, Spider-Man: No Way Home. To fans’ delight, Garfield appeared in the film alongside Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire, who starred as the web-slinger in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, prompting many to revisit the charming actor’s career.

While Garfield will perhaps always best be known as the “amazing Spider-Man,” he is certainly not limited to that role or the superhero genre of movie. Aside from his career-changing turn in The Social Network, he is featured in more dramatic pieces. Recently, he starred alongside Jessica Chastain in The Eyes of Tammy Faye and in the critically-acclaimed Lin-Manuel Miranda movie musical Tick, Tick…Boom! in which he portrayed RENT composer Jonathan Larson. 

Although he is only now experiencing a resurgence in popularity, Garfield has proven time and time again that he excels in any role he is given and deserves his reputation as one of today’s most talented actors.