Andrew Garfield Recalls How Jessica Chastain ‘Rearranged’ Filming So He Could See His Mom Before She Died (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jessica Chastain in 2024; Andrew Garfield in 2024.Photo:Getty(2)

Getty(2)

Andrew Garfieldis forever “very grateful” for his time withJessica Chastainwhile they filmedThe Eyes of Tammy Fayein 2019.

TheWe Live in Timeactor, 41, recalled in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE how Chastain, 47, ensured he got to spend time with his mother, Lynn Garfield, during her final days before she died of pancreatic cancer.

“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,” Andrew told PEOPLE.

Andrew Garfield and his mom Lynn in 2018.Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic

Andrew also remembered what their fellowEyes of Tammy Fayecostar Vincent D’Onofrio said to him at the time.

“Because he had his own experience with a loss that he wasn’t able to make it back for, he said, ‘Go. You got to go.’ And I was like, ‘Well, I know I’ve got to go and thank you,’ ” he added.

“It was a beautiful ritual. Every Sunday, we would go down there. And it was a combination of trying to commune with the spirit of Jim and Tammy and the place where they set up their temple, in a way, to their god but also to themselves,” said Andrew, who portrayed Jim opposite Chastain’s Tammy.

Andrew Garfield and Jessica Chastain in 2022.Neilson Barnard/Getty

Neilson Barnard/Getty

Since Heritage USA had closed and been transformed into a “different evangelical, more progressive rock music kind of church,” Andrew remembered, he and Chastain would attend services there. The trips turned into a way for them to do hands-on research for their movie.

“It became a bit of a detective pursuit because there were people, like security guards and people there who used to work for Jim and Tammy,” he said. “So we were able to get access to more information, and so it was really funny and it was very deep.”

He added of his time with Chastain, “We would have deep conversations, because we were both getting to know each other as people. I’m really very grateful for that time with her because it was the time when my mum was really sick and ultimately passed away.”

Andrew Garfield with his parents Lynn and Richard in 2018.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

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“The good news about me and her is that we left nothing unsaid,” he toldVarietyin 2021. “We had all the quality time we could possibly have while she was here. And those last two weeks I got to be with her were probably the most profound two weeks of my life.”

“To be with her and my dad and my brother, all of her friends, my nephews,” he added. “It was full of grace in the midst of the terrible tragedy.”

source: people.com