Andrew Garfield settles the debate: His favorite Spider-Man is …

By Dan Girolamo Published October 11, 2024

Who is Andrew Garfield’s favorite actor to portray Spider-Man? Garfield gives the edge to the man who played Peter Parker before him.

“Tobey [Maguire] was my guy,” Garfield said on the Vanity Fair Game Show. “I was in drama school, and I was watching his films when I was a young, impressionable actor, and I was practicing being him.”

For Garfield, that’s not a dig at Tom Holland, who currently plays the web-slinger in the MCU. Garfield said he admires what Holland is doing in the role. However, Maguire was the actor who Garfield tried to emulate in his performance, hence why the Babylon actor gets the nod.

“I think what Tom [Holland] has done is incredible as well,” Garfield added. “I kind of love them both equally, but I think because it was at a formative part of my life, Tobey … that’s my Spider-Man.”

After Maguire played Peter Parker in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, Garfield stepped into the role when Sony rebooted the franchise in The Amazing Spider-Man. Directed by Marc Webb, The Amazing Spider-Man received a generally positive reception and grossed $758 million. However, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 underperformed critically and financially, leading the studio to pull the plug on a third film.

When Sony and Marvel signed a deal to have Spider-Man join the MCU, producers replaced Garfield with Holland as the titular superhero. Holland has played Peter Parker in and . In No Way Home, Garfield and Maguire played their versions of Spider-Man, teaming up with Holland’s character to save the multiverse.

After his triumphant return in No Way Home, would Garfield ever come back and wear the spider suit? For Garfield, it’s an easy answer.

“I would 100% come back if it was the right thing [and] if it’s additive to the culture, if there’s a great concept or something that hasn’t been done before that’s unique and odd and exciting, and that you can sink your teeth into,” Garfield told Esquire. “I love that character, and it brings joy. If part of what I bring is joy, then I’m joyful in return.”