Back in 2013 while out promoting “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” then-current Spider-Man actor Andrew Garfield generated a bunch of talk when he asked the question why there had not yet been a gay Spider-Man.
The Oscar nominee was speaking with EW at the time and said he and producer Matt Tolmach had a recent discussion about potentially gender-swapping Peter Parker’s iconic love interest Mary-Jane/MJ:
“I was kind of joking, but kind of not joking about MJ… I was like, ‘What if MJ is a dude?’. Why can’t we discover that Peter is exploring his sexuality? It’s hardly even groundbreaking! … So why can’t he be gay? Why can’t he be into boys?”
He even pitched the idea that Michael B. Jordan would fit the MJ role: “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!”
Though social media was still in its relatively early days at the time, the interview generated a huge reaction online, with some hardcore comic fans very angry about the speculation.
Talk came up again a year later when the hack of Sony Pictures revealed a mandatory Marvel contract clause in which it is stated that Peter Parker must be portrayed as a Caucasian male and strictly heterosexual. He must be raised by Aunt May and Uncle Ben in Queens, New York, and get his powers from a spider bite. He can’t smoke, use illegal drugs, or kill except in self-defense.
Currently out promoting Paul Greengrass’s “The Uprising,” Garfield was asked by the same publication, EW, to reflect on those comments. He stands by them though interestingly sticks to wording specifically stating Spider-Man – not necessarily the Peter Parker version:
“It was an exercise in rebellion that I felt passionate about. 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.
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?’ And you’ll be telling on yourself if you have a strong opinion either way.”
Tom Holland currently holds the title of the live-action Spider-Man on the big screen and is expected to continue in the role for some time. The actor has already expressed interest in diversifying Spider-Man on screen with a live-action Miles Morales expected at some point, with Peter potentially serving as a mentor. Marvel Comics introduced Web-Weaver, the canon’s first-ever gay Spider-Man, back in 2022.
Separately, Garfield told The Playlist this week that he expects Spider-Man questions to “follow me for the rest of my life” and adds that “people can ask me whatever they want; my life is very blessed.”
