Good news everyone, being sensitive and down to earth is hot again. And if you manage to pull it off as an Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe-winning, Marvel-starring Hollywood actor, then little can stand in your way.
Whether he likes it or not, Andrew Garfield has become the internet’s latest crush. If he’s not charming his way through an episode of Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg or playing with a room full of puppies to promote his latest film, We Live in Time, then he’s moving the dial on frank and thoughtful conversations about grief and speaking about fame with a refreshingly critical eye. See, the man has range.
Having first gained our attention in the role of Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network in 2010, and notoriety as Spider Man in The Amazing Spider-Man superhero films in 2012 and 2014, Garfield’s career trajectory has been peppered with deliberate periods of withdrawal. That is to say that fame (and all that comes with it) is a byproduct of his career path and not by any account his motivator, which is probably why Garfield is such a good actor – and why he seems like such a good guy too.
He was offered another blockbuster after Spider Man and instead pivoted to Broadway to star in Death of a Salesman. In the years that followed, he has opted for historical epics, musical dramas and offbeat adaptations instead of projects that might have pedalled any sort of ‘personal brand’. In doing so, Garfield has always maintained a certain air of mystery.
However, thanks to the promotion of his upcoming film, We Live in Time, we have been able to get to know Garfield a little better. And, let's be honest, we're all loving what we’re seeing.
The A24 film_,_ which is out on 1 January in the UK, sees him play the partner of Almut (Florence Pugh), a celebrated chef and the mother of their young daughter, who discovers she has terminal ovarian cancer. Garfield has spoken candidly about the fact he was drawn to the role to honour his father – who became a widower when Garfield’s mother died of pancreatic cancer in 2019.
In making himself vulnerable by drawing parallels between the film and his own life, and speaking so beautifully about his own loss, Garfield has unwittingly won over an army of new supporters. His recent appearance discussing the subject on Sesame Street has done nothing to ward them off.
The actor sits down with Elmo to help to explain grief to children in a compassionate and digestible way. Garfield said, ‘I’m thinking about my mum today. She passed away not too long ago, and I just miss her. I miss her a lot.’ At which point Elmo interjected to say sorry and Garfield responded, ‘That’s okay, you don’t have to say sorry. It’s actually kind of okay to miss somebody. That sadness is kind of a gift, it’s kind of a lovely way to feel in a way because it means you really loved somebody.’
It goes without saying that taking the time to start a tender conversation about grief with children is an incredible thing to do. It speaks to Garfield’s emotional intelligence – something that rarely takes pride of place when we talk about male celebrity heartthrobs. It’s certainly not a quailty that, historically, has dictated who’s pinned up on teenagers’ bedroom walls.
However, sensitive men (who happen to be charming and handsome, sure) have been having a moment for a while now. It’s no longer a crime to say that Ryan Gosling’s Ken stole the show in Barbie last summer – a role that a lot of men with bigger egos or weaker comedy bones might have been too afraid to play.
Adam Brody had viewers in the palm of his hand with his portrayal of the kind, patient and charismatic rabbi Noah in Nobody Wants This. As did Brody himself during press junkets where he fulfilled everyone’s grown-up Seth Cohen fantasies while speaking about his career and his relationship with Leighton Meester.
Then there’s man of the moment Paul Mescal, famed for playing ‘sad and sexy’ characters. Like Garfield, he seems unafraid of broaching emotional territory during interviews and also gives off strong 'good guy' vibes – all of which has earned him a lot of female attention. And of course, there's also fellow Spider Man, Tom Holland, who has redefined boyfriend goals with his long-term relationship with Zendaya and seems to have a strong grasp on his priorities.
None of which is to say that these men are boring – or that sensitivity is all they have to offer. In fact, it only adds to their charm and allure and allows their other characteristics to shine. The back and forth in Garfield’s recent Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg (viewed more than 5.5 million times in one week) is case in point. Their chemistry in a ten-minute comedy video on YouTube was enough to make fans want them to get together in real life. One X user even joked, ‘Chicken Shop Date (2024) starring Andrew Garfield and Amelia Dimoldenberg is the best rom com of the year!’
Men take note: we are seeking out unproblematic faves, and those who meet the criteria are rightly being given their flowers. Even if, in 2024, that comes in the form of being fawned over on social media for about a fortnight.
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across pop culture, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things TV for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow shows with equal respect).