Andrew Garfield defends his call for a gay Spider-Man 13 years later: ‘Why not?’

Garfield said in 2013. “Why can’t we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality? It’s hardly even groundbreaking! … So whycan’the be gay?

Whycan’the be into boys?”At the time, Garfield also suggested that Michael J. Bordan could play a male version of MJ in the. Amazing Spider-Manfranchise.

The actor praised Bordan’s charisma and talent and added, “I’ve been obsessed with him since ‘The Wire.’ He’s so charismatic and talented. It’d be even better — we’d have interracial bisexuality!”More than a decade later, Garfield has revisited those comments while promoting Paul Greengrass’The Uprising.

Asked to reflect on his 13-year-old call for a gay Spider-Man, the actor said his comments came from a desire to challenge conventional ideas about the character. “It was an exercise in rebellion that I felt passionate about,” Garfield said.

“I just still believe that anyone can be in that suit. That’s the point of why it’s such a kind of universally beloved character, one of the greatly beloved characters in the history of fiction is because you don’t see skin color, you don’t see gender, you don’t see sexuality.

Anyone can project themselves into that suit.”Garfield continued to argue that Spider-Man’s universal appeal comes from the fact that audiences can identify with the person behind the mask regardless of their background or identity.

“I like the idea of a place where everyone is being honored and everyone is being included, and it was just a kind of act of saying, ‘Well, why not?’” he said.

“And you’ll be telling on yourself if you have a strong opinion either way.”Garfield’s latest comments come as the Spider-Man franchise continues to expand through different versions of the superhero across film and other media. The actor played Peter Parker in.

The Amazing Spider-Manand. The Amazing Spider-Man 2before returning to the role alongside Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire in. Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Holland currently plays Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and recently returned as Peter Parker in. Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The film has also renewed discussions about expanding the live-action Spider-Man universe, with Holland previously expressing interest in bringing Miles Morales to the big screen.

During the. Brand New Daypress tour, Holland he has a “desire to bring Miles to the screen” and to “shepherd the lucky young kid who gets that job”. Garfield’s renewed support for a Spider-Man that can represent people of different genders and sexualities does not indicate that Marvel or Sony has plans to make Peter Parker gay.

Instead, the actor is reaffirming an idea he first raised more than 13 years ago: that the character’s iconic suit should be open to anyone who can see themselves in the hero. For Garfield, the question remains as simple as the one he posed in 2013: “Why not?”