The 'Spider-Man' star opens up about the dilemma in a new interview with 'GQ.'
Andrew Garfield turns 40 in less than a year, and he doesn't feel the pressure to have children before reaching that milestone age because he's released himself "from the societal obligation of procreating by the time I'm 40."
The Golden Globe winner opened up about the idea of reaching fatherhood at a certain age in an interview with British GQ. While talking about his upcoming 40th birthday, Garfield shared he's looking forward to the idea of celebrating with his high school friends, most of whom are already fathers.
"It's interesting. It [his birthday] feels far off," he says. "I need to start thinking about a good party. If I organize something fun, it’ll be great. And the good news is, all my high school friends, we’re all celebrating [turning 40] together. But it’s interesting -- I always thought I would be the first to have kids and settle down, and they’re all shacked up and a couple of kids deep, for the most part. And I’m like...I'm here with you, eating a burger, just contemplating existence. Trying to fill my days with as much nonsense as I possibly can."
"So that’s interesting," he continues. "Releasing myself from the societal obligation of procreating by the time I’m 40 has been an interesting thing to do with myself. [Laughs]."
The Spider-Man and Tick, Tick...Boom! star then got even more candid about why he thinks fatherhood just hasn't been in the cards for him, yet.
"Oh, God. Where do I start with why it didn’t happen?" he says with a laugh. "No, it’s more about accepting a different path than what was kind of expected of me from birth. Like, By this time you will have done this, and you will have at least one child – that kind of thing. I think I have some guilt around that. And obviously it’s easier for me as a man."
For Garfield, he said the sense of guilt stems from the passing of his mother, Lynn, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2019 "because of course I would've loved my mum to have met my kids, if I'm going to have kids."
For the record, Garfield said if and when he does have kids, his mother will meet them "in spirit."
"I know she's there, for all the big ones," he says. "But yeah, Life, life, life. Life is in charge. We’ll see. We’ll see what happens. I’m curious."
The fact that he doesn't have any children hasn't stopped others from labeling him a "DILF," or a "dad I’d like to f**k." Back in April, he told ET about earning the moniker as the dad/detective in the FX true-crime series Under the Banner of Heaven.
"I mean, listen, I’m just trying to give the people what they want," he quipped. "As long as I’m in the business, I’m just in the business of pleasing."
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