Despite the anti-Semitic remarks Mel Gibson infamously made some two decades ago, actor Andrew Garfield wholeheartedly believes the filmmaker should continue making movies. The nearly 20-year controversy began with the deplorable remarks as Gibson spat at a Los Angeles County police officer during his Malibu DUI arrest, including anti-Semitic rhetoric (per The Guardian).
The nearly career-canceling situation then escalated when leaked tapes revealed Gibson screaming racist obscenities at his former girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva. However, Garfield believes in Gibson’s healing and elaborates on both the situation and having collaborated with the filmmaker during a brand-new interview, courtesy of Deadline:
“I learned a lot, actually. I learned that people can heal. I learned that people can change, that people can get help. I learned that everyone deserves respect. And that people deserve second chances, third chances, fourth chances. That none of us are infallible. [Gibson has] done a lot of beautiful healing with himself. And thank God. Because he’s an amazing filmmaker, and I think he deserves to make films. He deserves to tell stories, because he has a very, very big, compassionate heart.”
Garfield starred in the Academy Award-winning war film Hacksaw Ridge (2016), which Gibson directed. The Spider-Man actor portrayed real-life combat medic Desmond Doss in the film based on the 2004 documentary The Conscientious Objector by director Terry Benedict. Garfield continued discussing Gibson in the same interview by saying:
“He’s the kind of director that would come from behind the monitors, just with his eyes wet. He knew when it was right and he knew when it wasn’t right. And I just really trusted him. And he’s a visceral storyteller so he can feel… He’s like he can’t help but feel everything. He’s a real empathetic guy.”
Andrew Garfield Can’t Avoid Spider-Man 4 Questions During Press Tour
In addition to commenting on Mel Gibson, Andrew Garfield had to address Spider-Man 4 once again while promoting his new film with Florence Pugh, We Live in Time. Garfield remains cryptic about whether he will return as the Marvel web-slinger, but he does reflect fondly on portraying Peter Parker and his super-powered alter ego. And, in a recent sit-down with host Josh Horowitz, Garfield made it clear that he’d play Spidey again. Garfield said during the Happy Sad Confused podcast:
“For sure, I would 100 percent come back [as Spider-Man] if it was the right thing, 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. I love that character, and it brings joy. If part of what I bring is joy, then I’m joyful in return.”
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Maybe someone should start asking another wall-crawler if Garfield is coming back. After all, Tom Holland and Zendaya have read the Spider-Man 4 screenplay – an early draft, at least. So, in addition to the writer, at least two actors are now privy to the contents of the Spidey script and whether it includes the Amazing Spider-Man star after his triumphant return in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
