Source : PERTHNOW NEWS
Andrew Garfield felt a “heavy responsibility” playing Sam Altman in Artificial.
The 43-year-old actor carried personal pressure of portraying a real-life person when playing the OpenAI CEO in Luca Guadagnino’s new film, but he also found it to be a crucial opportunity to “interrogate” powerful tech leaders.
Speaking at the New York Film Festival’s world premiere of Artificial, which took place at Alice Tully Hall, he said: “There’s such a heavy responsibility … playing a live person.
“I feel a tremendous amount of compassion for what that must [be] like.
“But at the same time, the deeper responsibility, maybe, that I think we all felt is to shine [a light] to try and do some interrogation of who we are giving all of our autonomy, power, and data to. That felt like the greater the service.
“There’s a lot of research, there’s a lot of footage, there’s a lot of information, [on Altman] which is all grist for the mill, and then there’s your own imagination.”
Garfield spent “two to three months” listening and watching footage of Altman in a bid to find his “version” of the character.
And his perception of Altman evolved over time, after he initially had a polished first impression of the 41-year-old entrepreneur.
He added: “I remember seeing Sam testifying to Congress for the first time, way back when, and I was like, ‘This guy seems f***ing great.
“I was like, ‘He’s clear-eyed, he’s honest, he’s transparent, he’s talking about regulation … we need more of these people in control, in power, and he’s incredibly charming, charismatic.’
“And then I, you know, like all of us, we learn more about a person.”
In August, Garfield told how he was relieved when he finished work on Artificial.
He told Esquire UK: “I feel grateful to those experiences of playing those people. But I don’t love it.
“Ultimately I’m like, ‘Thank God that’s over.’ I felt that way with Sam and with Hank [from After the Hunt].
“Because I much prefer at least trying to be community-minded, a good friend. I love being a cosy guy.”
