Andrew Garfield Was 'Very Nervous' About Putting the Spider-Man Suit Back On for 'No Way Home' : 'Not Enjoyable!'

The veteran Spider-Man star was an honoree for the Spotlight Award at the 24th Costume Designers Guild Awards on Wednesday

By

Abigail Adams

Published on March 10, 2022 10:52 AM

Even superheroes get self-conscious!

At the 24th Costume Designers Guild Awards Wednesday, Andrew Garfield, 38, shared with PEOPLE that one costume in particular gave him anxiety: the Spider-Man suit he had to don again for his surprise return to the screen in Spider-Man: No Way Home. He first wore the outfit for The Amazing Spider-Man in 2014.

"It was very scary, because I thought, 'This is not going to look good,' " he said of his return to his superhero costume. "I [was] 36, and I need to work much harder to keep my body in certain shape. So I was very nervous."

At first, Garfield said, "It was not enjoyable" to squeeze back into the spandex. But it didn't take long for him to change his mind thanks to the "amazing team" surrounding him.

"I wasn't alone," said the star (in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello), who was an honoree for the Spotlight Award at Wednesday night's event. "Me and [the other Spider-Man Tobey Maguire] were trading war stories and doubts and fears. And it was a joyful, joyful experience ultimately."

(No word on if he was the Spider-Man who donned the "fake ass" Tom Holland mentioned.)

Garfield and Maguire, 46, appeared alongside current Spider-Man star Tom Holland in Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was named the third-highest grossing movie ever domestically in February.

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In a joint video interview with Maguire and Holland, 24, in January, Garfield revealed that learning of Maguire's participation in the film "was sincerely a big part" of his decision to join the project when he was approached about the opportunity.

Spider-Man pointing meme recreated — Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire (L); Spider-Man meme. Spider-Man: No Way Home/Twitter

"I was just waiting to see if Tobey was gonna do it, and if Tobey was gonna do it then I was like, 'Well I have no choice,' " Garfield explained at the time.

The Tick, Tick ... Boom! star then jokingly added, "I follow Tobey to the ends of the earth. I'm a lemming for Tobey."

That same month, Garfield said he "would love to continue working with Tobey and with Tom" during an interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. He also spoke about his feelings about having another chance to wear his Spidey suit again.

"I am definitely open to that," the actor said at the time. "It would have to be something very unique, very special and serving to an audience and in service of the character."

He added, "There's something playful and unique and odd and unexpected to be done. I'm not sure what is but if we can figure it out it would be so much fun."

Updated by Scott Huver