Andrew Garfield, a patrilineal Jewish actor who played Spider-Man, expressed his support for Palestinians in Gaza during a Thursday airing of the “Happy Sad Confused" podcast.
“We should be putting our energy toward something that actually matters, you know? Yeah, maybe the lives of, I don't know, Palestinians in Gaza right now. Maybe that's where we put our hearts and our energy," Garfield said. "And anyone suffering, anyone oppressed — anyone that is suffering under the weight of the horrors of our world right now. Anyone who doesn't have a choice in, you know, living lives of dignity. Yeah — that's where our energy should be going right now."
The Hamas-run Palestinian health authorities in Gaza claim that over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the terror group invaded southern Israel and murdered over 1200 people - breaking the ceasefire. Hamas does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths and has been repeatedly accused of inflating figures.
Calls for a ceasefire
This is not the first time the actor expressed vocal support for Gaza, according to the Hollywood Reporter. In October 2023, only weeks after Hamas’s devastating attacks on southern Israel, Garfield joined a group of over 50 celebrities in a call for a ceasefire.
“We ask that, as President of the United States, you call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza and Israel before another life is lost,” a letter signed by the celebrities, addressed to US President Joe Biden, read.
Numerous Hollywood artists and media personalities have signed a call for action urging for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, through the group Artists4Ceasefire.
Celebrities have been confronted over the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, including most recently, singer-songwriter Chappel Roan, who had said she turned down an invitation to the White House’s Pride celebration to protest America’s policies, demanding “liberty, justice, and freedom for all…for all oppressed people in occupied territories.”
She was criticized by Real Time host Bill Maher, who attempted to educate Roan about the reality of Gaza and the terrorist group Hamas on a recently aired episode of his show on Saturday night.
Hannah Brown contributed to this report.