Andrew Garfield isn’t backing away from the idea he floated more than a decade ago: Spider-Man could be gay — and he thinks the character’s enduring appeal is exactly why.
The 43-year-old actor, who played the web-slinger in two “Amazing Spider-Man” films and reprised the role in 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” told Entertainment Weekly during a press tour for “The Uprising” that his stance hasn’t changed since he first pitched the concept in a 2013 interview.
“It was an exercise in rebellion that I felt passionate about,” Garfield said, reflecting on his earlier comments. “I just still believe that anyone can be in that suit.”
Garfield argued that Spider-Man’s universality is what makes the character so beloved — and that a gay interpretation would fit naturally within that framework.
“That’s the point of why it’s such a kind of universally beloved character, one of the greatly beloved characters in the history of fiction is because you don’t see skin color, you don’t see gender, you don’t see sexuality,” he said. “Anyone can project themselves into that suit.”
The actor said his original suggestion was rooted in a desire for broader representation.
“I like the idea of a place where everyone is being honored and everyone is being included, and it was just a kind of act of saying, ‘Well, why not?'” Garfield said. “And you’ll be telling on yourself if you have a strong opinion either way.”
Back to 2013
Garfield’s latest remarks circle back to the 2013 interview that first sparked headlines. At the time, promoting “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” the actor floated the idea that Peter Parker — or his iconic love interest, Mary Jane Watson — could be reimagined in a same-sex or bisexual context.
“I was kind of joking, but kind of not joking about MJ,” Garfield said then. “I was like, ‘What if MJ is a dude?'”
He pushed further, suggesting the character could openly explore his sexuality.
“Why can’t we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality? It’s hardly even groundbreaking!” Garfield said. “So why can’t he be gay? Why can’t he be into boys?”
Garfield even had a casting idea in mind for a potential male love interest, name-dropping actor Michael B. Jordan.
“I’ve been obsessed with him since ‘The Wire,'” Garfield said. “He’s so charismatic and talented. It’d be even better — we’d have interracial bisexuality!”
A franchise in flux
Garfield played Spider-Man in 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” and its 2014 sequel before the franchise was rebooted with Tom Holland in the role. Garfield later returned for the multiverse-spanning “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021), appearing alongside fellow Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Holland.
Holland currently headlines the franchise. His most recent outing, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” shattered box office records over the summer, surpassing $2 billion worldwide and landing among the highest-grossing superhero films ever made.
There’s no indication that Marvel Studios or Sony — the studios behind the current Spider-Man films — have any plans to adopt Garfield’s pitch. But Garfield’s willingness to keep the idea alive in interviews ensures the conversation around the character’s identity remains open, at least in the public discourse.
His comments will likely reignite familiar debates among fans — some celebrating the inclusivity message, others pushing back on altering a beloved character’s established canon. Garfield, for his part, seems untroubled by the controversy, framing the discussion itself as revealing.
“You’ll be telling on yourself if you have a strong opinion either way,” he said.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/spider-man-star-doubles-down-on-his-woke-superhero-pitch