The Build Up
Yet again taking the internet by storm, Andrew Garfield’s latest cameo on the Youtube show Chicken Shop Date has fanned an already ignited flame. For those who aren’t familiar with Chicken Shop Date, it’s hosted and partly starred by Amelia Dimoldenberg – the other star with each session, of course, being the celebrity who she’s interviewing. Aside from British actor Andrew Garfield – who’s globally known for his role as Spider-Man – she has recently brought on singer Billie Eilish and, thanks to the release of the newest Deadpool movie, actors Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds. The setting? An eatery whose menu consists of fried chicken, which makes a good coupling with Dimoldenberg’s unique sense of humor- a sense of humor that Andrew Garfield has noticeably taken a liking to and worked to match.
Prior to finally being able to bring Andrew Garfield onto the show, he and Amelia Dimoldenberg have interacted before on red carpets and premieres, the latest one having happened in 2023. In clips that are all over the internet, Garfield is seen looking quite dapper in a burnt orange blazer and dress pants, the two articles being brought together and complimented by a black button up. Dimoldenberg, on the other hand, was sporting a golden dress which positively brought out her honey blonde hair.
From the jump, the two are seen laughing and smiling as if no time has passed since they last saw each other. According to the public, their chemistry is undeniable. That viewpoint was only fueled by stand out moments in that interaction, like when Garfield says “I only ever want to see you” after Dimoldenberg jokingly states, “we must stop meeting like this.” The British actor then proceeded to place his hand over Dimoldenberg’s hand, which was gripping the microphone between them. The fact that his hand lingered for a few moments had the audience dead set on seeing Andrew Garfield on the Chicken Shop Date. Enter that dream becoming a reality on Friday, October 18th, 2024. If the public wasn’t on the edge of their seats before, then they certainly are now.
Chicken & Chat
Already at roughly 8.1 million views, Andrew Garfield’s long awaited feature on the web series was made possible since he’s currently on a PR run for his newest movie, We Live In Time. The film hit US theaters on October 11th, bringing a reportedly hauntingly beautiful love story to screens across the country. Some argue that due to that, the banter and flirtations between the two are undoubtedly ingenuine – a mere PR stunt. Others, however, are incredibly doubtful. Especially users on TikTok who were quick to rave about every second of the eleven minute video.
As if the 41 year old couldn’t get more appealing, he pulled all of the stops during this interview. If anything, Garfield has made it clear that saying words of affirmation is his speciality, perhaps even a love language of his. It has fans wondering how Emma Stone could have ever stomached letting go of such a gem, especially considering his iconic “she was like a shot of espresso” speech that went viral awhile back. He had been talking about Emma Stone, who was, at the time, a co-star of his and his character’s love interest in The Amazing Spider-Man: “She came in and she… she was like a shot of espresso, she was like… being bathed in sunlight. She’s incredibly energetic and enthusiastic and she had this sense of play and fun which was incredibly exciting.” (Andrew Garfield.) From then on, it was established that not only is he a talented actor, but Garfield is also talented at stringing his words together. All in all, over the years he has proven to be incredibly charismatic and sincere; and unapologetically human in the way that he conveys his feelings and expresses his emotions.
From stroking his jaw and smirking to playfully saying, “it’s called flirting, Amelia,” Andrew Garfield was acting without shame throughout the entirety of the segment, seemingly declaring that he had genuinely taken a liking to Amelia Dimoldenberg. Both verbally and through his eyes. Funnily enough, TikTok users were quick to point out that the British actor, as opposed to Dimoldenberg, hadn’t touched his food once. Instead, he attempted to woo the host even while knowing that the crew surrounding the two were recording. Although Andrew Garfield has never been afraid to be transparent, hence his public display of going through the motions of grief when dealing with the recent death of his mother, Garfield has always been adamant about having a private life- especially in the love department. Regardless, he acted as if he could only focus on Amelia Dimoldenberg’s presence.
Speaking of cameras, another instance that had the web spinning on their heads came when Andrew decides to get real, “If this (the equipment around them) wasn’t here, do you actually think we’d go on a date? Do you think that this has f*cked up that we could have actually gone on a date at some point, maybe?..Take out all of the practicalities and the logic, I actually believe, maybe, we could have without all of this (the cameras). But it’s this- (Garfield once again gestures at the current situation) I’m a very private person in my private life.”
There are a lot of points that someone can take away from Garfield’s words, the biggest one being that it appears Andrew Garfield has genuinely and thoroughly thought about him and Amelia. More specifically, that they could have gone on a date in the past. That then suggests to viewers that perhaps he was interested and may still be, a thought that is later backed up by more words that the actor dares to utter, “I think we’d have a really nice time without the camera. I think we’d just enjoy each other’s company. Or maybe not, f*ck it.”
Food For Thought
The following are more quotes pulled from the video, all of which are said by the British actor:
Number One- “I’m gonna be myself and I need you to know me. Fully.”
If there’s one point that users make time and time again it’s that Andrew Garfield’s vulnerability and heart is what makes him so compelling. There’s nothing like a man who’s willing to be completely transparent, especially in today’s day and age. If you were Amelia, would you struggle to keep up with being a comedian?
Number Two- “So you’re a bold, courageous, like- you got for it?” “Exactly.” “I really appreciate that so much, I think it’s so- I think that’s sexy. I think that’s really hot.”
The quote above was stated by Andrew Garfield in regards to Amelia expressing that she puts herself out there more than other people do, hence why she gets rejected more. Speaking of boldness, one could argue that this was rather bold of the British actor. To call someone sexy so openly is quite a statement, so it’s no wonder that viewers were pleasantly caught off guard by the brunette’s word choice.
Number Three- “Do you want to be married? Do you want to have children? Like, what are your ultimate longings?”
It is rumored that a reason as to why the relationship between Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield didn’t work is because he wanted to settle down and ultimately have kids, and at the time, Stone didn’t. Despite the outcome of those differences, the two are on good terms and Garfield hasn’t abandoned what he desires to get out of a serious relationship. Consequently, it is no wonder that Andrew Garfield (assuming that he sincerely feels serious about her) asked Amelia Dimoldenberg about her thoughts on getting married and having children.
Number Four- “Would you rather not? Are you going to cut all of this out anyway because it’s about you?” “Yeah, probably.” “But this is some bullsh*t. Come on like let this interview be what it is. This is like a different vibe. This is a different style of date. There’s more mutuality.”
Garfield’s firmness in taking this date seriously and setting aside the entertainment factor and comedic element to the segment says a lot to many. After all, his insistence that Dimoldenberg recognize that compared to other guests that she’s brought onto the show, what’s going on between her and him is real, not for show. Hence his usage of the word “mutuality”.
Number Five- “I feel like this should just be a practice round. I think we should do it again, actually, and better. This should just be a rehearsal.”
Interesting, right? It would be fair to say that other celebrities who have been featured on Chicken Shop Date didn’t speak about their time on the show in such a matter- as if it was an actual date. By extension, they likely also didn’t want a second go at it, especially in the way that Andrew Garfield is suggesting. The man really wants to score a date away from the cameras, his hussle is very respectable! He also notably stated the quote above after Amelia Dimoldenberg reminded him that he has her number since he asked for it at an event in the past. Hmm.
Number Six- “Can we agree that we’ve had a couple of lovely interactions? Come on, we can own that it’s been vibey. Powerful vibes.”
This one is pretty straightforward, yet it’s very hard to ignore. Nor should it be ignored. Andrew Garfield appears to have really been loving using the words “vibey” and “vibe” during the session. Not to mention how sweet using the adjective “lovely” to describe his past interactions with Amelia Dimoldenberg.
Final Thoughts
While we can’t say for sure that we’re watching a love story unfold before our eyes, what’s certain is that whatever we have witnessed feeds into our addiction to picture perfect love stories, like the ones that we read in books. If we’re unable to find a love of our own, then living vicariously through a public relationship almost completely fulfills that need and feeling. Hence the existence of parasocial relationships and, in general, why some people feel entitled and privy to the ins and outs of a celebrity’s life.
In short, we see this sort of buzz emerge time and time again. The public’s interest is not a mystery and has never been, and that is repeatedly made clear through the sorts of media we consume, as well as headlines from the past. Why exactly we are so invested in this story is a loaded question. What do you think?
Performative Or Not? Which One is It?
Having hopefully digested all of what was just thrown at you, what are your thoughts on this matter? Is Andrew Garfield genuinely invested in Amelia Dimoldenberg or is he just tapping into his acting chops and, by extension, performing a PR stunt? Although it is true that most Chicken Shop Date videos are, as pointed out by fans, usually seven minutes long yet this one was eleven minutes long, who’s to say for sure that we aren’t buying into a purposeful trick? Perhaps every heart warming word and eye widening moment is proving a point – that we’re gullible. Or are we just so used to trickery nowadays that we can’t see it for what it is? Maybe it is a real connection. We’re dealing with a double-edged sword here, that we know, but what end has snagged us?