Andrew Garfield has been very open about dealing with the grief of losing his mom to cancer in 2019. He discussed her death on The Late Show, calling it “unexpressed love,” and the topic came up again during a recent episode of Sesame Street.
The actor sat down with Elmo and talked about how much he misses his mom. But “that sadness is kind of a gift,” Garfield said. “It’s kind of a lovely thing to feel in a way because it means you really loved somebody when you miss them. And when I miss someone, I remember. When I miss my mom, I remember all the cuddles I used to get from her. All the hugs I used to get from her. It makes me feel close to her when I miss her, in a strange sort of way. So, I’m happy to have all the memories of my mom and all the joy she brought me. And the joy she brought my brother, and my dad, everyone she ever met, everyone around her. When I miss her, I remember it’s because she made me so happy. I can celebrate her and I can miss her at the same time.”
This is where I’d usually make some comment about Elmo being mean to poor Rocco, but I’ll let it slide this one time.
You can watch (and cry along to) the video above.
Garfield is out there promoting We Live in Time, his new movie with Florence Pugh (now in cardboard cutout form). They play Tobias and Almut, who are “brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives,” according to the official plot summary from A24. “As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken.”
We Live in Time is out in theaters now.