Andrew Garfield Explains Why He Hasn’t Congratulated Tom Holland Yet on ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘The Odyssey’

Actors who’ve shared a role tend to develop a strange kind of kinship, especially when that role happens to be one of the most scrutinized characters in modern pop culture. Few franchises have tested that dynamic quite like ‘Spider-Man,’ where multiple actors have now stepped into the same mask across different eras of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Andrew Garfield knows that dynamic better than most, having played Peter Parker across two solo films before reuniting with fellow web-slingers Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ That shared history has made Garfield something of a fan favorite whenever conversation turns to Holland’s ongoing run as the character.

With Holland currently riding the massive success of both ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ fans might expect a public show of support from Garfield. Instead, Garfield revealed he hasn’t actually reached out to Holland about either film, and he has a very specific reason why.

Speaking at the premiere of his historical action drama ‘The Uprising’ at the DGA in West Hollywood, Garfield explained that he wanted his praise to mean something rather than feel like an empty gesture. “I don’t want to be disingenuous,” Garfield said, according to Variety.

He elaborated further, making clear that his silence had nothing to do with a lack of support for his former co-star. “A movie making money and people going to see it is an incredible thing, but I will reach out to him once I’ve seen [‘Spider-Man’], which I’m very excited to see. And his other film, ‘The Odyssey,’ I haven’t managed to see either yet. I will send him a message when I see the work he has done,” Garfield said, according to Variety.

That approach suggests Garfield wants any congratulations he offers to be grounded in an actual viewing experience rather than a courtesy message tied purely to box office numbers. By his own account, he plans to watch both films before sending Holland any kind of response.

Even without having seen ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ himself, Garfield wasn’t surprised by its success, which has already reached $891 million domestically and is projected to become the first movie to cross $1 billion in North America alone. Reflecting on why the character continues to resonate so strongly with audiences regardless of who’s playing him, Garfield offered some insight into Spider-Man’s enduring appeal.

“Everyone has ownership over him, he’s everybody’s, and he’s decent and he’s good and he’s ordinary, and he’s extraordinary like all of us,” Garfield said, according to Variety. He added that it’s “impossible not to see yourself in that character,” a sentiment that speaks to why the role has managed to stay culturally relevant across multiple actors and eras.

Garfield also used the opportunity to address ongoing rumors about his potential involvement in ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ firmly stating that he is not part of the upcoming film. Still, he left the door open for audiences to draw their own conclusions once the movie actually arrives, saying only that people will have to find out “one way or the other.”

That kind of playful ambiguity has become something of a signature move for actors navigating the secrecy surrounding major Marvel releases, and Garfield’s comments are unlikely to fully quiet speculation. For now, fans will simply have to wait and see whether Garfield’s Spider-Man makes a comeback, or whether Holland will eventually receive that long-awaited message once Garfield finally catches up on his latest work.

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