Andrew Garfield opens up to Elmo about missing his late mother, leaving fans emotional: “Grief is a kind of gift.”
The We Live in Time actor spoke to Elmo about his mother, Lynn Garfield, saying, “I can celebrate her, and miss her at the same time.”
In a touching moment with Elmo, Andrew Garfield discussed the loss of his mother, Lynn, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2019. The Sesame Street character posted the conversation with the 41-year-old Amazing Spider-Man actor on Friday, October 18.
“Andrew Garfield? Hi! Elmo’s walking around Sesame Street to check on everyone, and Elmo wants to know how Andrew’s doing,” Elmo began.
Andrew Garfield, sitting next to a doll on the steps, told Elmo that he had “no idea” how happy he was to see him. Elmo observed that Garfield appeared somewhat different when inquired about his emotions. Garfield hesitantly replied with an “alright.”
With Elmo’s support, he mustered the courage to express his thoughts: “I’ve been missing my mom a lot today. It’s been tough since she passed away recently.”
“Grief is kind of a gift. It’s a beautiful thing to feel in a way, because it means you truly loved someone when you miss them. When I miss my mom, I remember all the hugs I used to get from her, every single hug.
When I feel her absence, I remember the happiness she brought and take comfort in celebrating her life.”
“Elmo really cares about that, Andrew Garfield,” Elmo replied, touched.
With a smile, Andrew Garfield whispered, “Elmo was my mom’s favorite!”
Grover, Elmo’s blue puppet friend, replied to the video saying, “Let me know if you need a warm hug 💙.” Other fans were moved after watching the clip. One viewer on X commented: “Grief is love with nowhere to go. Andrew’s perspective on his mom is so touching and relatable.”
Andrew was filming The Eyes of Tammy Faye in 2019, but he left the set to travel to England and be with his mother when she passed away.
In an interview with Variety after her death, he shared that his mother encouraged him to continue, telling him, “I would feel worse if you stopped because of me.” After the film wrapped up, Andrew took some time off, saying he needed a break “to be a person, not just a person who does.”
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Andrew’s new film We Live in Time presents an intimate exploration of love, life, and the grief of loss.
In this romantic comedy-drama, Tobias (Andrew) finds love with Almut, a chef portrayed by Florence Pugh. Their relationship is both tender and painful, as Almut grapples with a terminal cancer diagnosis. The movie doesn’t follow a conventional timeline but instead presents important snapshots of their relationship, from the joy of new love to the sorrow of an uncertain future.
We Live in Time debuted in select theaters on October 11.
