Andrew Garfield Discusses Playing Sam Altman in ‘Artificial’ and Its Personal Impact

Hollywood has increasingly recognized Silicon Valley as a rich source for dramatic storytelling, yet few upcoming films carry as much real-world significance as Luca Guadagnino’s latest project. The film, ‘Artificial,’ dramatizes one of the tech industry’s most shocking corporate crises, a five-day saga that briefly disrupted one of the leading companies in AI, culminating in an unexpected resolution.

‘Artificial’ has already generated buzz prior to its release, largely due to Amazon MGM Studios’ decision to withdraw from distributing the film it initially developed and financed, reportedly due to its financial ties with OpenAI. Neon stepped in to save the project after other major distributors declined, positioning the film for a release later this year, aiming for awards season recognition.

At the heart of this drama is Andrew Garfield, who portrays OpenAI CEO Sam Altman during the November 2023 events that saw him abruptly dismissed by the company’s board before being reinstated days later. In a recent cover interview with Esquire UK’s September/October issue, Garfield candidly discussed the psychological challenges of embodying Altman, despite never having met him.

Garfield clarified that his portrayal was not influenced by a personal connection to Altman, stating, “I don’t know Sam Altman. I’ve never met him. I was going off of the script and court transcripts and interviews and research, and we were telling a story.” He emphasized that anyone taking on such a significant role in a technology capable of causing “a hell of a lot of damage to the soul of humanity” must have “a certain ability to dissociate.”

He explained that his typical acting approach involves exploring aspects of a character within himself, even those traits he might prefer to ignore, and Altman was no exception. He described this process as uncomfortable, as it compelled him to confront parts of his psyche he usually tends to reject.

This discomfort prompted Garfield to reflect on collective denial and its political ramifications. He suggested that the widespread reluctance to acknowledge troubling traits within ourselves has tangible consequences, pointing out that “if we weren’t all less rejecting in the first place, less ‘that’s not us’, then Donald Trump wouldn’t have been voted in twice, and Nigel Farage wouldn’t be anywhere near a position of power.” He framed this exercise as an internal audit, questioning whether people are willing to identify with uncomfortable labels such as “wannabe fascist, grifter, opportunist, power-hungry, ethic-less, spineless” instead of distancing themselves from those characteristics.

Garfield also touched on the intriguing symmetry of finally portraying a tech mogul after narrowly missing the chance to play Mark Zuckerberg in ‘The Social Network’ sixteen years ago, a role that ultimately went to Jesse Eisenberg while Garfield portrayed Eduardo Saverin. He shared with Esquire UK that he has remained captivated by that type of psychology, describing Altman’s worldview as a game where winning is paramount, driven by the belief that losing would simply cede power to a rival like Elon Musk.

Filming ‘Artificial’ came at the end of a particularly demanding period for Garfield, who completed three back-to-back projects this past year, including ‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ and Paul Greengrass’s ‘The Uprising.’ He admitted that the pace has left him “knackered” and eager for a return to normalcy, even as he continues to promote the wave of upcoming releases associated with his recent work.

With ‘Artificial’ still finalizing its release date under Neon and awards season buzz already surrounding the project, Garfield’s willingness to explore the uncomfortable psychological aspects behind Altman’s public persona suggests the film may strive for something deeper than a conventional corporate drama.

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