Andrew Garfield: Award shows are gratitude rituals
Andrew Garfield considers award shows to be "gratitude rituals".
The 33-year-old actor has admitted to having mixed feelings about attending award shows this season, revealing that although he loves to celebrate the achievements of other people within the movie industry, he dislikes the "commerce" element of the glitzy events.
Andrew – who has received a BAFTA nomination for his starring role in ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ – shared: "I get to offer gratitude and celebrate the people that I’ve worked with, and not only that, but to celebrate the other work that’s going on.
"And not only that, but there are people that I have a true connection with in those rooms, friends that I love and I get to celebrate their work.
"At best, those things are gratitude rituals.
"A very wise man said that to me – a mythologist called Michael Meade who I look up to very much – he watched the Oscars one year and he said, ‘You know what? What I saw was the possibility for a gratitude ritual. What a beautiful thing that you get to go and give thanks sincerely to all those people and forces in the world that allow you to do what you love.’ So I’m feeling pretty good about it."
However, Andrew admitted that there is an obvious downside to the shows, too.
He told Vulture: "There is the other side of it, and commerce is always going to be present, and you just have to dance with it and keep all that as light as possible.
"You have to keep the focus on the meaning, and we need meaning more than ever – that is for sure. The world is crying out for it, so I’m very happy to attempt to live my own version of that life."
