Andrew Garfield Brought a 'Personal Loss' Experience to His Emotional “We Live in Time ”Performance

The actor costars with Florence Pugh in 'We Live in Time,' in theaters Oct. 11

Andrew Garfield is opening up about the personal experiences he brought to his new drama with Florence Pugh.

While Garfield, 41, and Pugh, 28, spoke after the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival world premiere of We Live in Time on Friday, Sept. 6, Garfield referenced the film's director John Crowley while speaking to "a collecting of experience that one goes through in one's life — personal experience, personal loss, personal love."

"I think that we were lucky enough to be able to bring all of those private personal things to this in ways that were healing for us, and hopefully healing for an audience as well," he said.

We Live in Time stars Garfield and Pugh as a couple who meet by chance, fall in love and stand by each other's sides through personal tragedies and starting a family.

Related: Andrew Garfield on Why He Hopes He Never Gets Over the Grief of Losing His Mother Lynn

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"There was just a really solid foundation, and in terms of preparation for the particularities, it feels like kind of what was being referenced before by Florence, it feels like one of those films where you kind of don't want to know what the scene will be," Garfield added during the post-screening conversation.

"You kind of don't want to know what the next take is gonna be. And that can only happen if you have a scene partner who you can just pay attention to and tune into and listen to and know that you will end up in the most honest, authentic place with, and that's Florence. And that's rare."

We Live in Time marks Garfield's first feature film role since 2021, when he memorably reprised his Spider-Man role in No Way Home and portrayed the late composer Jonathan Larson in tick, tick... BOOM! In the new romantic drama, he plays Tobias, while Pugh portrays Almut.

Related: Florence Pugh Was ‘Fearless’ and ‘Committed’ to Shaving Her Head for We Live in Time, Says Director (Exclusive)

"I think for me there was a kind of surrender that wanted to happen in this film more than most other films I've made and a trust and a kind of letting go," Garfield added of watching the movie at its premiere. "I think that's a theme in the film and I was just so struck by watching it, there were moments tonight that moved me in a way that I hadn't been moved before."

We Live in Time is in theaters Oct. 11.

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