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EntertainmentAndrew Garfield reacts to Amazon dropping Sam Altman biopic 'Artificial'
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Andrew Garfield expressed mixed surprise that Amazon MGM Studios dropped Luca Guadagnino's biopic 'Artificial', about OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, earlier this year. Amazon cited the film would be better served by another studio, reportedly after a significant partnership between Amazon and OpenAI. Garfield, who plays Altman, said he was both surprised and unsurprised, praising Amazon's support during production. The film, which also stars Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk, focuses on Altman's 2023 firing and rehiring at OpenAI. Neon has since acquired global rights and plans an awards season release. Garfield noted he did not contact Altman while filming, relying on extensive public documentation of the tech executive.
Source report
Earlier this year, Amazon pulled Luca Guadagnino’s biopic about OpenAI boss Sam Altman. The film, titled Artificial, “will be better served if it were released by a different studio and [we] are working closely with the filmmaking team to find the film a new home,” Amazon MGM Studios said after deciding to ditch its release.
The Guardian noted that the cancellation came “in the wake of a significant partnership struck between Amazon and OpenAI.”
Artificial stars Andrew Garfield as Altman and comedian and actor Ike Barinholtz as co-founder of OpenAI, Elon Musk.
Speaking with Variety on Wednesday while promoting his new film, The Magic Faraway Tree, Garfield said he “was and I wasn’t [surprised]” to hear the movie had been dropped.
“I think there are certain things that fit certain places and don’t fit other places and [Amazon] were nothing but supportive and nothing but encouraging while we were making the film,” he added.
“Luca [Guadagnino, Artificial’s director] has a really great relationship with them and I’ve developed a lovely relationship with them as well. I’m grateful that they’ve helped the film to find the home that it was meant to find.”
Neon, which acquired the global rights to Artificial from Amazon MGM Studios, seems to have the movie on its slate for the upcoming awards season.
Garfield added that he did not contact his character, Altman, while filming the movie, which focused on his turbulent 2023 firing and rehiring at OpenAI.
“I wouldn’t know how to. I don’t have his number. I don’t have his email. But I’m sure that he’d be able to reach me if he wants to. I’d be very excited and curious to talk with him if he would ever want to do that.”
Andrew added that Altman is “very documented,” having sat for lots of interviews.
“I, of course, would have loved and still would love to meet Sam. But I’m playing a version of the character that was written in the script, and I think that while you want to be as truthful to that as you can, you’re never going to understand anyone ever fully ever anyway.
“We’re all so complicated and deeply layered, and I think that Mr. Altman is probably no exception.”
You can read the entire Variety article here.
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Andrew Garfield Reacts to Amazon Dropping Sam Altman Biopic 'Artificial'