Andrew Garfield became a household name after taking on the role of Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker opposite Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man.
Despite being cast as the web-slinging teenage hero more than a decade ago, social media users were shocked to discover the English actor was almost two decades older than they assumed.
After learning his real age, many fans expressed surprise that the Golden Globe winner, known for his youthful appearance, was no longer in his early twenties.
Upon learning that the artist recently celebrated his 40th birthday, one fan bluntly tweeted: ‘WHAT DID I THINK he’s 19-20?’
Andrew Garfield became a household name after taking on the role of Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker opposite Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man.
‘How the hell is Andrew Garfield 40 years old????’ another fan asked as dozens more demanded to know the same thing.
The beloved star was cast as 17-year-old Peter Parker when he was 26, making him the oldest Spider-Man actor to take on the iconic role.
In Amazing Spider-Man 2, the hit 2014 sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man, his character graduated high school, which would have made Garfield 31, still passing for a teenager, in the film.
In 2022, he admitted that being cast as Spider-Man so early in his life was “an interesting experience, for sure.”
‘I feel that about me as a 26-year-old. I thought, ‘Fuck, that was a lot to take on.’ It’s shit to deal with,” Garfield told GQ UK. And I wanted to take it on. I was ready. He was very willing to do so. I didn’t feel it heavy. But I think there were elements that I thought were very… I felt dangerous for myself, in terms of fame and exposure.’
Considering he played a high school senior at age 31, it’s no surprise that fans went into a frenzy over his recent comments about being 40 years old.
With age, he says, he has developed a stronger sense of self and confidence in his work.
When asked last year at the Red Sea Film Festival if he gets angry if someone tells him they prefer other Spider-Mans better than his own, Garfield went viral for his cheeky response.
Upon learning that the artist recently celebrated his 40th birthday, one fan bluntly tweeted: ‘WHAT DID I THINK he’s 19-20?’
‘I am 40 years old. If you love me, that’s fine, and if you don’t love me, you miss out,’ she said with a smile.
A year earlier, however, she spoke about the “social” pressure she felt to have children before turning 40.
‘It’s more about accepting a different path than what was expected of me since I was born. By then you’ll have done this and have at least one child, that kind of thing,” she said.
The actor told GQ: “I think I feel some guilt about that.” And obviously it’s easier for me as a man…’
During the interview, he described his pain at knowing that his late mother would not have the opportunity to meet her children.
‘Life seems to be a perpetual practice of letting shit go. Letting go of an idea of how a thing should look, be, or feel,” he told the publication.
Considering he played a high school senior at age 31, for the sequel, it’s no surprise that fans went into a frenzy over his recent comments about entering his 40s; photographed in 2012
As he’s gotten older, he says he’s developed a stronger sense of self and confidence in his work (pictured in January during Paris Fashion Week).
“And that’s an important one (to let go), because of course I would have loved for my mother to have met my children, if I’m going to have children.” And she will do it. In spirit. She will be there for it. I know she is there, for all the greats.
‘But if. Life, life, life. Life is in charge. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens. I’m curious.’
Andrew’s mother died shortly after his stage stint in Angels in America and before he began filming his Oscar-nominated role in Tick, Tick… Boom!
Revealing the impact his roles had on his grief, he explained: “I think that play is really starting to tear me apart.” And then my mom gets sick. And it’s like, ‘Oh, right.’ She was preparing me for something.
‘The person who gave me existence no longer exists. I felt like everything was connected.”
His mother Lynn died of pancreatic cancer in 2019.