Andrew Garfield once again supports the possibility of a gay Spider-Man, 13 years after suggesting that Peter Parker could explore his sexuality.
Andrew Garfield has not changed his mind. Thirteen years after making headlines by publicly raising the possibility of a gay Spider-Man, the actor has once again defended the idea, saying he still believes that anyone should be able to see themselves represented beneath the superhero’s mask.
Garfield played Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012 and its 2014 sequel. It was during that period, in a 2013 interview, that he suggested Mary Jane could be a man and that Peter could explore his sexuality.
“I was kind of joking, but kind of not. I thought: ‘What if MJ was a guy?’ Why can’t we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality? It wouldn’t even be that revolutionary. Why can’t he be gay? Why can’t he be attracted to guys?” he said at the time.
He even suggested Michael B. Jordan as a potential love interest, saying that he had admired his work for years and praising his charisma.
- Andrew Garfield Still Thinks Exactly the Same Way
Now, in 2026, the actor has revisited those comments during a conversation with Entertainment Weekly and made it clear that the original suggestion reflected a genuine belief. “It was an exercise in rebellion that I was passionate about. I still believe anyone can be inside that suit,” he said.
For Garfield, that is precisely one of the reasons why Spider-Man remains one of the most universal characters in popular culture. “You don’t see skin colour, you don’t see gender, you don’t see sexuality. Anyone can project themselves into that suit,” he explained.
The actor also added that he has always been interested in the idea of creating spaces where everyone can feel included: “I like the idea of a place where everyone is recognised and everyone is included. It was simply a way of saying: ‘Why not?’”
More than a decade later, the idea has still not materialised in the major Spider-Man film adaptations, but Garfield does not appear ready to abandon it. For him, the question remains the same as it was in 2013: if anyone can be Spider-Man, why couldn’t Peter Parker also fall in love with a man?
