“I’d be dragged kicking and screaming”: the 2017 role that left Andrew Garfield “guilty and ashamed”
Andrew Garfield has revealed that his critically acclaimed 2017 portrayal of AIDS victim Prior Walter in Tony Kushner's "Angels in America" at the National Theatre took a severe psychological and physical toll on him. His candid account demonstrates how even prestigious, career-defining roles can push actors to their breaking point when performances demand such emotional and physical intensity over multiple weekly shows.
Garfield began the role with enthusiasm, but by the halfway point of the initial run he was struggling to sustain the demanding performance. He admitted to staying in bed until the last possible moment before performances and described being "dragged to the theatre kicking and screaming" on occasion. Despite recognising this as "the best role he'd ever play," his reluctance triggered guilt and shame, a conflict he examined with striking self-awareness. The role ultimately earned him a 2018 Tony Award, validating the artistic value of his contribution.
- Andrew Garfield struggled emotionally and physically playing dying AIDS victim in Angels in America.
- Halfway through 2017, he didn't want to continue despite it being the best role.
- He won a 2018 Tony Award for the acclaimed performance.
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Andrew Garfield is a British-American actor known for major roles including the Spider-Man films. In 2017, he performed the lead role of Prior Walter, an AIDS victim, in Tony Kushner's celebrated play "Angels in America" at the National Theatre in London. The performance was critically acclaimed and earned him a Tony Award in 2018.
The character of Prior Walter experiences severe physical and emotional suffering throughout the play, requiring actors to sustain intense emotion across multiple weekly performances. Such demanding theatrical roles can exact a substantial psychological and physical price on performers, particularly when the material deals with profound human suffering and deterioration. Garfield's experience demonstrates the considerable toll that emotionally and physically taxing performances can take on actors, even in career-defining theatrical roles.