Andrew Garfield relives the wild moment he learned he was ‘Spider Man’

Andrew Garfield revisited his 2010 ‘Spider Man’ casting surprise and teased roles in ‘The Uprising’ and ‘Artificial’

Andrew Garfield has taken a nostalgic trip back to one of the biggest turning points of his career, revisiting the moment he discovered he had been chosen to play Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider Man. The actor reflected on the unforgettable casting revelation during an appearance connected to Jimmy Kimmel Live, where footage from 2010 showed the moment Garfield learned that he had landed the iconic superhero role.

The appearance came as Garfield promotes his latest film, The Uprising, the historical drama directed by Paul Greengrass and inspired by the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381. Garfield stars as a farmer who becomes a leader of the rebellion, with Jamie Bell, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, Tom Hollander and Katherine Waterston among the cast. Focus Features has scheduled the film for a US theatrical release on September 11, 2026.

Garfield's Spider Man story remains particularly striking because the casting was kept tightly under wraps before the announcement. Sony Pictures officially revealed on July 1, 2010 that Garfield would play Peter Parker in the next instalment of the franchise. The announcement took place at a press event in Cancun, Mexico, where Garfield was already attending an event connected to The Social Network. According to contemporary reporting from TheWrap, he learned that he had secured the part only shortly before he was introduced as the new Spider Man to assembled journalists.

The casting eventually led to The Amazing Spider Man, released in 2012, followed by The Amazing Spider Man 2 in 2014. Garfield later returned to the character alongside Tobey Maguire and Tom Holland in Spider Man: No Way Home, giving fans one of the franchise's most memorable multiverse moments.

His latest appearance also allowed him to discuss some decidedly unusual projects. Garfield is set to portray Roy Horn of the famous magic duo Siegfried & Roy in Apple's upcoming limited series Wild Things. The series follows the rise of Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn and their transformation into major Las Vegas entertainers. Jude Law plays Siegfried, while Garfield takes on Roy.

Garfield is also portraying OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in Artificial, directed by Luca Guadagnino. The film examines the turmoil surrounding Altman's temporary removal and return as OpenAI chief, with Garfield leading a cast that includes Monica Barbaro, Yura Borisov, Chris O'Dowd and Ike Barinholtz. A first teaser for the film was released this week, adding another high profile role to Garfield's increasingly varied slate.

During the conversation, Garfield also brought a gift to mark the show's 4,000th episode and shared lighter stories from The Uprising. His comments about Cosmo Jarvis's haircut and his experience working alongside an ox named Prince added a playful side to an appearance otherwise filled with reflections on his career.

The contrast between the young actor suddenly being told he was Spider Man in 2010 and the established star now moving between historical drama, television and stories about artificial intelligence offered a fitting reminder of how dramatically Garfield's career has evolved.