Andrew Garfield on Robert Redford: Behind His Hollywood Debut

Andrew Garfield says Robert Redford made him feel like “an equal” on the set of his 2007 Hollywood debut, “Lions for Lambs,” even though Redford showed up four hours late on their first day of filming together. Garfield told the story on the September 29, 2026 episode of Amy Poehler’s podcast “Good Hang,” reminiscing about working with Redford, who died in September 2025. The anecdote came up while Garfield was out promoting his current film, “The Uprising.”

What did Andrew Garfield say about Robert Redford?

Garfield described Redford as a generous, down-to-earth collaborator who put a nervous newcomer at ease on his first big American set. Speaking about Redford in the past tense, Garfield said “he was so nice, he was so beautiful,” and recalled that once filming got underway, Redford would regularly turn to him after takes and ask, “What do you think?” Garfield said that habit “made me feel like it was my set and made me feel like I was an equal” — a notable gesture from a director and co-star as established as Redford was by 2007.

What is Lions for Lambs, and why was it significant for Garfield?

“Lions for Lambs” was Garfield’s American, or Hollywood, film debut — not his first screen role overall. Redford directed the 2007 drama and starred in it alongside Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise, with the story interweaving three threads connected to the US war in Afghanistan. Garfield played student character Todd Hayes. He had already worked in British film and television before this project, so “Lions for Lambs” marks the start of his Hollywood career specifically, not his first time on camera.

Why did Robert Redford showing up late help Garfield’s nerves?

Garfield said he arrived on set “terrified and nervous and pinching myself,” and Redford’s lateness ended up working in his favor. He recalled being told Redford was running four hours behind and reacting with irritation in the moment — “I’m just pissed. I’m just angry,” he said, framing the line with clear affection rather than real resentment. By the time Redford actually showed up, Garfield said much of his anxiety had already burned off waiting around, which softened the pressure of their actual first meeting.

How did Redford act once he finally arrived on set?

Garfield said Redford turned up “so loose and casual,” dressed in double denim, which immediately deflated the tension of the day. He described Redford as entirely unbothered by his own lateness and comfortable in his own skin, a sharp contrast to how keyed-up Garfield had felt beforehand. That casualness, combined with Redford’s habit of asking for Garfield’s opinion on takes, is the core of how Garfield remembers the shoot: as a welcoming experience rather than an intimidating one.

Why did Andrew Garfield bring up Redford during this interview?

Garfield raised the Redford story while promoting “The Uprising,” his historical drama that reached digital platforms on September 29, 2026 — the same day the “Good Hang” episode came out. Readers who want the details on that release, including cast and where to watch it, can check our rundown of The Uprising’s digital release . The Redford story itself wasn’t presented as a tribute or memorial segment on the podcast; it played as a career-reminiscence moment inside a promotional conversation, with Garfield speaking fondly and in the past tense about the director who shaped his early career.

Garfield’s account adds a specific, personal detail to how Redford is remembered publicly: not just as an Academy Award-winning director and the founder of the Sundance Film Festival, but as someone who reportedly went out of his way to make a newcomer’s first big set feel less intimidating. For Garfield, “Lions for Lambs” remains the project that opened the door to Hollywood, and this podcast conversation offered a rare, specific glimpse of what that debut actually felt like from the inside.