Andrew Garfield emotionally opens up to Elmo about recently losing his mum: 'Sadness is a gift'

19 October 2024, 09:53

Andrew Garfield has left fans in tears in the most unlikely of places: with a new appearance on Sesame Street.

British actor Andrew Garfield had a sweet chat with Elmo about missing his late mother, Lynn, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2019.

On Friday (October 18), Elmo had an intimate conversation with the Spider-Man star, 41.

“Andrew? Hi, Elmo’s going around Sesame Street checking in on everybody, so Elmo wants to know how Andrew’s doing,” Elmo said to Andrew.

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Sitting next to Elmo on the stairs, Andrew told Elmo he had “no idea” how happy he was to see him. Garfield said he was “doing okay" and asked Elmo if he was sure he wanted to listen.

Andrew then opened up to Elmo about missing his mum, saying: “I’m just thinking about my mum today. You know, she passed away not too long ago, and I just miss her. I miss her a lot.”

“Elmo’s really sorry to hear that, Mr. Andrew,” Elmo replied.

Andrew told Elmo he didn’t need to apologize, saying that it’s “okay to miss somebody" before teaching Elmo a lesson in coping with loss.

"Sadness is kind of a gift. It’s kind of a lovely thing to feel in a way because it means you really loved somebody when you miss them. And when I miss my mum, I remember all of the cuddles I used to get from her, all the hugs I used to get from her. Just like that, and it makes me feel close to her when I miss her, in a strange way."

Andrew continued: “So, I’m happy to have all of the memories of my mum and the joy she brought me, and the joy she brought my brother and my dad and everyone she ever met — everyone around her. So when I miss her, I remember it’s because she made me so happy. So I can celebrate her, and I can miss her at the same time.”

Andrew then shared a sweet secret: “Elmo was my mummy’s favourite!”

Later, Elmo's muppet mate Grover responded to the video with: “Let me know if you need a warm hug 💙."

The actor was filming The Eyes of Tammy Faye in 2019 when he returned home to England to be by his mother's side when she died.