British Hollywood star Andrew Garfield has credited the late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti as an inspiration for his interpretation of Spider-Man.
Garfield disclosed this during an appearance on Track-star-show’s YouTube series, ‘Testing Andrew Garfield’s Music Knowledge’.
The actor revealed that he usually creates a playlist for every character he portrays, and Fela’s music became part of his creative process when he was cast as Spider-Man.
“I create a playlist for every character I play, which is a lovely, fun thing to do anyway. So I started listening to Fela Kuti when I first got Spider-Man, and there was something about the sound and the rhythm that was really useful to me for that character,” he said.
He noted that beyond the rhythm, Fela’s revolutionary spirit helped him understand Spider-Man’s dedication to justice and his physical expression.
“There was something about suddenly being in touch with the body, but also justice-seeking, because obviously he was a revolutionary figure,” he explained.
Speaking about how it translated into his performance, Garfield said Fela’s influence was evident in his movement as Spider-Man.
“And the way that I moved in that film, in the suit, has some inspiration from Fela and his music,” he stated.
He added that he was fascinated by the power embedded in Fela’s sound and sought to channel a similar energy into the superhero role.
“I was like, I don’t know what it is about this guy’s power that I want to somehow reflect in this guy’s power,” Garfield said.
The track featured during the interview segment was Fela’s iconic 1975 song ‘Water No Get Enemy’ from the album ‘Expensive Shit’.
