Andrew Garfield has fans doing a double take after debuting a noticeably altered look on the San Francisco set of Artificial, Luca Guadagnino’s $40 million Amazon MGM Studios drama about tech mogul Sam Altman.
As behind-the-scenes images made the rounds online, some viewers speculated whether the 41-year-old actor, who plays Altman, had undergone cosmetic enhancements like Botox, while others praised his fresh-faced transformation.
The real-life story behind Artificial centers on the controversial 2023 firing and rehiring of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
According to IMDb, the film “follows the confusing firing and rehiring cycle with Sam Altman at OpenAI, where the board gained control of the company and removed him, yet he came back in a convoluted, breaking news cycle that broke the internet.”
Garfield, clean-shaven and grinning on set, drew immediate attention on Instagram, where fans debated what might have caused his seemingly altered appearance.
One person wrote: “They did something real freaky to his face.” A second critic added: “Did he get bad botox?”
Another user speculated: “People are saying it’s because he shaved, but no. He looks very pale, like he has makeup on? And then a facelift, maybe? But that’s insane if he did that. It’s giving uncanny valley, and I feel bad judging, but there is SOMETHING not right. We’ve all taken bad photos, so I’m praying that’s all it is.”
Still, other fans were thrilled by the new look. Referring to his time as Spiderman (2012–2021), one user gushed: “Cutieee spidey.” Another said: “My forever first love.” A third added: “He’s still a baby, my baby.”
In addition to Garfield, Artificial stars include Ike Barinholtz, 48, as Elon Musk, 54, and Monica Barbaro, 35, as former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati.
The film is written by Simon Rich, 41, and directed by Guadagnino, 53, with a producing team that includes David Heyman, Jeffrey Clifford, and Jennifer Fox. Principal photography began in July at San Francisco’s Dolores Park.
While a release date has not yet been announced, the project has already attracted major buzz, thanks in part to Garfield’s transformation and real-life romance with co-star Monica Barbaro.
In July, the two were spotted looking affectionate during day seven of the Wimbledon tennis tournament. They held hands and cuddled while watching the matches, appearing to confirm their off-screen relationship.