Losing his mother was a particularly hard moment in Andrew Garfield‘s life, but it was made just a little easier by his The Eyes of Tammy Faye co-star Jessica Chastain. The 41-year-old actor revealed that his castmate, along with Searchlight Pictures producer David Greenbaum, rearranged filming for the film so he could be with his mom in her final moments.
Lynn Garfield died of pancreatic cancer in 2019 at 69 years old, shifting her son’s world off its axis. The Oscar-nominated British-American has spoken extensively about his loss, in the process challenging preconceptions about grief and how it is often discussed (or, more accurately, not discussed) in public. More recently, while promoting his new romantic film with Florence Pugh, We Live in Time, Garfield spoke to People about the day he received the call to go back to England to be with his mom while on the Tammy Faye biopic set.
What was amazing was that [Searchlight Pictures’ David Greenbaum] and Jessica rearranged the schedule last-minute — put filming on hold [in North Carolina] for a few days so that I could go back [to England] and be with my mom for 10 days.”
Vincent D’Onofrio, who played televangelist Jerry Falwell in the film and had experience with missing a loved one’s final hour, also encouraged Garfield to go. In the end, the actor got to say his goodbyes — a time which he describes in another interview as “the most profound two weeks of [his] life.”
Garfield and Chastain, who ended up winning the Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Tammy, grew close while making the film, particularly during their trips to evangelist church to research their characters. The two shared important conversations which the younger man says helped him cope with his mother’s illness. “I’m really very grateful for that time with her,” he told People.
At the time of the film’s premiere, Chastain also praised her co-star for his dedication to the challenging role of Jim Bakker, Tammy Faye’s husband and Christian television hosting partner. “Always grateful to this gem for his generous spirit and an inspiring collaboration,” the actress wrote on her Instagram page in 2022.
In a Sesame Street appearance, Garfield spoke to Elmo about the meaning of deeply missing someone like he misses his mom. “That sadness is kind of a gift,” he explained, adding “because it means you really loved somebody.” He holds on to the memories, as well as his mother’s impact on his, his dad and his brother’s lives, celebrating her life along with the pain that comes with her passing.
This grief has inspired most of Garfield’s projects since. His first endeavor after his mother’s death was the Lin-Manuel Miranda-directed Jonathan Larson biopic Tick, Tick… Boom!, which deals with the playwright’s untimely death and the shape his legacy took because of it. The actor earned his second Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the late visionary. More recently, he played the role of a man faced with his partner’s cancer diagnosis in We Live in Time, delivering an incredibly raw, yet calm performance. “Making the film felt very personally healing,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
