If you saw Andrew Garfield standing in the middle of a crowded room, you’d probably think he’s a giant. He has this way of taking up space. It's the lanky limbs. The way he moves his arms when he’s talking passionately about a new role. Honestly, his proportions are a bit of a cinematic trick.
The internet has been arguing about the height of Andrew Garfield for over a decade, mostly because he looks like he should be 6'2" but somehow fits into a lineup next to much shorter actors without looking like a skyscraper.
So, how tall is he? Really?
The Official Number vs. The Eye Test
Andrew Garfield is officially 5 feet 10 inches tall (that's about 178 cm for the metric crowd).
Some sources, including IMDb, occasionally tack on an extra half-inch, putting him at 5'10.5". In the world of Hollywood, where everyone adds two inches to their resume the second they land an audition, Andrew is one of the few who seems to be telling the truth.
He’s not "short," but he’s not exactly a "tall guy" by traditional leading-man standards.
The confusion stems from his build. He is remarkably lean. In tailoring terms, he’s what you’d call a "long lean." Because he has a shorter torso and exceptionally long legs, your brain does this weird math where it assumes he’s way taller than he actually is. It’s a total illusion.
- Official Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
- Visual Impression: 6'1"
- Weight (Approximate): 163 lbs (74 kg)
Why He Looked Like a Giant in Spider-Man
When The Amazing Spider-Man came out in 2012, the first thing people noticed—aside from the hair—was how different his silhouette was compared to Tobey Maguire.
Tobey is roughly 5'7" or 5'8". He’s compact. Sturdy.
Then Andrew swings in. He looked like a literal spider. The costume designers actually played into this, using vertical lines and a slimmer fit to accentuate that lanky frame. When he stood next to Emma Stone (who is about 5'6"), he looked significantly taller, especially since she often wore flats or low heels in those movies.
📖 Related: Kanye West and Bianca Censori Unfiltered: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
The No Way Home Comparison
The real moment of truth happened in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Seeing all three Peter Parkers together was a dream for fans, but it was also a field day for height enthusiasts. You had Tom Holland, who is about 5'7", and Tobey Maguire, also around 5'7" or 5'8".
Andrew stood in the middle, and it wasn't even close. He towered over them.
It made people go back to Google to check the height of Andrew Garfield all over again. They couldn't believe he was "only" 5'10". The contrast between him and Tom Holland made him look like he was 6 feet plus.
It’s all about relativity. If you’re 5'10" and you hang out with 5'7" guys, you’re the "tall friend."
Proportions and the "Lanky" Factor
There's a specific term for this in the industry: "camera height."
Some actors look tiny on screen and massive in person. Andrew is the opposite. His posture is often slightly hunched—very "Peter Parker"—which hides his height until he stands up straight to deliver a monologue.
Think about his role in Tick, Tick... Boom!.
He spent half that movie jumping on tables and flailing his arms. He looked massive. But then you see him next to someone like Bo Burnham (who is a legit 6'5") in paparazzi photos, and Andrew suddenly looks like a hobbit.
It’s kind of funny how we perceive height based on who else is in the frame.
Comparing Andrew to the Hollywood Average
Is 5'10" short for an actor? Not even close.
The average height for an adult male in the US is about 5'9". Andrew is actually slightly above average. However, Hollywood has a weird obsession with height. You have the "Short Kings" like Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr., and then you have the "Gods" like Chris Hemsworth (6'3") and Jacob Elordi (6'5").
Andrew sits right in the "Goldilocks Zone."
- Tall enough to play a romantic lead without the actress needing to stand in a ditch.
- Short enough to still look vulnerable and "everyman," which is his bread and butter.
He doesn't have the "action hero" bulk that usually comes with being 6'2". He’s more of a lithe, athletic type. This actually helped him during his gymnast days—yes, he was a gymnast as a kid—where being too tall is actually a disadvantage because your center of gravity is all messed up.
What Andrew Has Said About It
Andrew doesn't really talk about his height much. He’s more interested in talking about the soul, or acting, or the "emptiness of fame."
But he has acknowledged that his physical frame was a huge part of why he got Spider-Man. He told Wired in an autocomplete interview that he used to be a gymnast, and that "spidery" quality was something he leaned into.
He knows he’s lanky. He knows he looks like he’s made of pipe cleaners.
He uses it.
In Silence, directed by Martin Scorsese, he lost a lot of weight to play a Jesuit priest. Being 5'10" and dropping down to a very low weight made him look gaunt and almost skeletal. A shorter, stockier actor wouldn't have been able to convey that same sense of physical suffering.
The Takeaway on Andrew Garfield’s Stature
So, if you’re trying to settle a bet: Andrew Garfield is 5'10".
He isn't wearing lifts. He isn't lying on his resume. He just has the kind of proportions that make him look like a runway model from certain angles and a regular guy from others.
If you want to dress like him or replicate that "tall guy" look without actually being 6 feet tall, take a page out of his book. Wear slim-cut trousers that hit right at the ankle and stick to monochromatic outfits. It elongates the legs and makes everyone ask you if you’ve had a growth spurt.
Next Steps for the Curious:
- Check the shoes: If you look at Andrew's red carpet photos, he almost always wears flat Chelsea boots or standard dress shoes. No hidden platforms here.
- Compare the cast: Watch the "Three Spideys" interview on YouTube. Look at the shoulder levels when they are standing on flat ground. Andrew’s shoulders are consistently two to three inches higher than Tom’s.
- Trust the gymnast background: Realize that his agility in stunts comes from that 5'10" frame—tall enough for reach, short enough for control.