Nearly a decade after portraying a Jesuit priest in Martin Scorsese’s Silence, Hollywood actor Andrew Garfield says the profound encounter with Jesus Christ he experienced while preparing for the role has never completely left him. Speaking to the National Catholic Register on August 31 ahead of the release of his new film The Uprising, Garfield reflected on the intense spiritual preparation that accompanied his role as Father Sebastião Rodrigues in Silence. To prepare for the film, Garfield immersed himself in the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola and undertook the Spiritual Exercises under the guidance of Jesuit Father James Martin. He spent months praying, fasting, meditating on the life of Christ and participating in a silent retreat. Garfield entered the process without an established Christian faith, but later said that one of the most unexpected parts of the experience was “falling in love with Jesus Christ.” Asked nearly 10 years later whether that encounter still remained, Garfield answered: “Yes, it remains.” The actor said the experience was deeply private and personal, describing Christ as representing beauty, forgiveness, surrender and empathy. Garfield has previously spoken about how the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises affected him far beyond preparation for a movie role. His comments offer a remarkable example of how encountering the life and person of Jesus through prayer, Scripture and spiritual reflection can leave a lasting impression. Garfield now stars in Paul Greengrass’ historical drama The Uprising, based around the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381. The film arrives in theaters on September 10.
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