With a simple smile and shrug, Andrew Garfield demonstrated why he is the favourite Spider-Man among Marvel fans at the recently-concluded Oscars event. Jimmy Kimmel, the event’s host, was able to get plenty of laughs from the audience with his great sarcasm and dark humour – and that included a gibe at Garfield.
Kimmel said he had taken notes from the previous Oscars mess, related to Chris Rock and Will Smith, so he mentioned a few Hollywood A-listers – including Garfield – as part of his security team. The British star was seen grimacing awkwardly – and this was transformed by the internet into a beloved meme, and they went to town with it. After the event, when the dust settled, Kimmel and Garfield addressed what actually happened and why Garfield chose to do what he did.
Andrew Garfield, among others, was informed moments before air that he’d be singled out as part of Jimmy Kimmel’s “security team” at the #Oscars.
Garfield was asked if he’d do a Spider-Man web sling, but “he made his own choice.”https://t.co/Bor3u3HyBB pic.twitter.com/l1VHPUuvsH
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) March 14, 2023
Before the show went live, the executive producer and Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney, briefed the audience on the skit and asked them to perform a cool action. The group consisted of Steven Spielberg, Michael B. Jordan, Michelle Yeoh, Pedro Pascal, and Garfield. Garfield was specifically asked to perform Spider-Man’s iconic web sling motion, but chose to awkwardly look and smile at the camera instead.
The reason he chose to do this instead is unknown; many speculated that maybe the actor was shy or was embarrassed to do what he was told to do. However, other people believe Garfield did this as a way of respecting the current Spider-Man star, Tom Holland, because he was no longer carrying the mantle of the legendary Marvel character.
Both Webhead actors have shown great love and respect for each other. Supporters of the latter point of view pointed to an interview Garfield gave in 2022 when discussing his role in Holland’s second Spider-Man sequel.
“There were so many unanswered questions for my Peter, where we left it. I got to step back in and get some healing for him. And also really supporting [Holland’s] Peter, and honouring his character completing that trilogy, not distracting or detracting from it.”
Despite being all over the news of late, Garfield never addressed it following the event, and perhaps he never will.
Sources: GettyImages
