Andrew Garfield explains why he keeps relationships off camera

Andrew Garfield has been clear about keeping his love life out of the spotlight.

The 42-year-old actor, who has been romantically linked to actress Monica Barbaro, told Vanity Fair that sharing personal details felt like “a violation of my inner world, my private world.”

He added that he hoped that this feeling would soften over time but it had not.

The actor stars with Monica in Artificial, a biographical comedy drama directed and co-produced by Luca Guadagnino.

In the film, Garfield plays Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. He said he enjoyed the role, recalling his previous experience portraying Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 actor explained that while he been cautious about films exploring similar topics, he wanted to explore the mindset of someone who succeeds, unlike his earlier role where the character struggled despite good intentions.

The movie also helped him reflect on the growing impact of AI as he said, “Whether it is inevitable or not, I don’t know if we’ll ever know, because I think they’re making sure it’s inevitable through that propaganda push.

I’m very curious about people who have the self-delusion—maybe self-belief—that they’re the ones that should run the world.”

The actor also talked about his experience working with Florence Pugh in We Live in Time, a romantic drama released in 2024.

He admitted to PEOPLE that he initially felt “really scared” when they started filming. He explained it took time to open up to someone new but once trust developed, it was strong.

Known for being private and protective, Garfield’s approach to both his career and personal life has been very private and positive.