But the 33-year-old actor found that working with Gibson and Scorsese was the salve he needed.
AfterSpider-Man, there was a longing for balance, Garfield says.
I wanted to do something that was very soul-searching.
Credit: Michael Tran/FilmMagic
These two characters [inHacksaw RidgeandSilence] have a golden light around them in some way thats challenged massively.
So he refused to carry a weapon, even when the military tried to force him to.
Its a remarkable thing to see a person remain true to themselves, Garfield says.
Theres something beautiful about that.
Something inspiring about weathering that kind of storm.
Gibson cast Garfield after seeing his performance inThe Social data pipe.
He didnt say a lot [in the film], Gibson says.
But he has this minimalism that enables him to express volumes without language.
you could see his heart and soul operating through his eyes.
Garfield then spent close to six months in Taiwan, eating and speaking very little.
The movie feels like a prayer, Garfield says.
I really dove into what a life of faith is and what a life of faith can be.
Its always been something Ive longed for in my life.
Im drawn to anything that fills me up.
A version of this article appears in Entertainment Weekly issue #1439, on newsstands now.
