Andrew Garfield Reflects on His Two New Faith-Driven Films, 'Silence' and 'Hacksaw Ridge'

Andrew Garfield has not one but two high-profile faith-driven dramas out this winter. First there was Hacksaw Ridge, Mel Gibson’s WWII drama starring Garfield as Desmond Doss, a devout combat medic forbidden by his church from taking up arms yet who managed to save the lives of 75 men at the Battle of Okinawa. Now, the 33-year-old Brit headlines Martin Scorsese’s Silence, an epic retelling of Portuguese priests attempting to keep Catholicism alive during the 17th century Japanese Inquisition.

“They’re incredibly similar and incredibly different, simultaneously,” Garfield told Yahoo Movies (watch above) when asked if he sees similarities between the two projects. “I think they both offer interesting perspectives on what is a life of faith and how [we are] supposed to live in this kind of chaos of life.”

Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man, The Social Network) has nothing but reverence for those who dedicated themselves to religion. “The people that I know who have devoted their lives to a higher calling, where they sacrifice themselves for something greater to themselves. These are the people that I really admire. It’s not an easy choice to make.

“My impression is [that] it’s the more rewarding choice. It’s ultimately more fulfilling choice. Living in service of something much greater than themselves are the most fulfilled people. They’re not the most well-known. They’re not the richest. They don’t have the most houses. But maybe they have the fullest hearts.”

Hacksaw Ridge is now in theaters; Silence opens wide Jan. 13.

Watch Garfield talk about weight loss for ‘Silence’: