Andrew Garfield Sets The Record Straight On ‘Twisted’ Gay Comments

Andrew Garfield has set the record straight about comments he made about being “a gay man right now, just without the physical act”.

The 33-year-old actor made the comments earlier this month at a press conference for the National Theatre play ‘Angels In America’, in which he plays a gay man living with AIDS.

Now the ‘Spider-Man’ star has clarified exactly what he meant after he was accused of ‘simplifying gay culture’ by some corners of the LGBTQ press and on social media.

He told Newsbeat: “That’s of course not what I meant at all.

“That discussion was about this play and how deeply grateful I am that I get to work on something so profound.

“It’s a love letter to the LGBTQ community. We were talking about, ‘How do you prepare for something so important and so big?’ and I was basically saying, ‘I dive in as fully as I possibly can.’”

He added: “My only longing is to serve and to keep the world spinning forward for the LGBTQ community in whatever way I’m meant to. It’s important to a community that I feel so welcomed by.

“The intention was to speak to that, speak to my desire to play this part to the best of my ability and to fully immerse myself in a culture that I adore.”

Andrew had previously revealed that he prepared for his role in Tony Kushner’s play by watching back-to-back series of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’.

“Every Sunday I would have eight friends over and we would just watch Ru,” he said. “I mean every single series of RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

When quizzed about his own sexual preference, the actor said: “As far as I know, I am not a gay man.

“Maybe I’ll have an awakening later in my life, which I’m sure will be wonderful, and I’ll get to explore that part of the garden, but right now I’m secluded to my area, which is wonderful, as well.”

‘Angels in America’ will be broadcast live at cinemas across the UK as part of National Theatre Live. Part One shows on 20 July and Part Two on 27 July.