Andrew Garfield appeared as a guest on a recent episode of Steven Colbert’s late night show and while speaking about his role in the film Tick ,Tick… BOOM! he ended up talking about the unfortunate loss of his mother.

In a particular part of the show, Colbert asked him how his work, doing films, shows and art helps him deal with his grief? To this, the actor had a beautiful response that left viewers across the world in tears.
I love talking about it, by the way, so if I cry, it’s only a beautiful thing. This is all the unexpressed love right? The grief that will remain with us until we pass because we never get enough time with each other, right? No matter if someone lives till 60, 15 or 99. We never get enough time with each other, right? I hope this grief stays with me because it’s the unexpressed love that I never got to tell her. So for me, I was able to step into this in a way where I could honour this incredible life of Jonathan Larson. I got to sing Jonathan Larson’s unfinished song while simultaneously singing for my mother and her unfinished song. And I am indebted to John and I am indebted to Lin-Manuel Miranda. I am indebted to everyone who’s brought me to this place so I can honour the most beautiful person that I’ve ever experienced in my life through my art and use it as a way to heal, use it as a way to sew up the wounds because that’s what we do.
Andrew Garfield talking about how he used his work to heal himself, his grief around losing his mother is so real and understandable that it moves you to tears. Plus the fact that he was not afraid of crying publicly, of expressing himself about this is a sheer sign of strength and the eternal love he has for his mother.

Of course the internet had a thing or two to say about this as well, many people quoted the actor and pointed out the wisdom in his words. The wisdom in processing grief and just how important it is to do that.
this is one of the most gorgeous outlooks on grief i have ever heard pic.twitter.com/UwWlPMQo4r
— lucy ford 🍊 (@lucyj_ford) November 23, 2021
“But what is grief, If not Love Persevering” – Vision
— Saatvik Shrivastava (@StonyHolmes666) November 24, 2021
“Grief is unexpressed love” – Andrew Garfield
“We never get enough time with each other” 😭
— Tara Dublin (Taylor’s Version) (@taradublinrocks) November 23, 2021
Grief is a part of life & needs to be talked about more often. Thank you for being such loving sons to your mothers, Andrew Garfield & Stephen Colbert. More men like these men, please ♥️ @StephenAtHome
pic.twitter.com/PgQdBmXyZG
“We never get enough time with each other, right… I hope this grief stays with me because it’s all the unexpressed love I didn’t get to tell her.” — Andrew Garfield
— Somya Lakhani (@somyalakhani) November 23, 2021
💔 https://t.co/rVlJuUI65p
“I hope this grief stays with me because it’s all the unexpressed love that i didn’t get to tell her.”
— Taufiqur Rizal (@TarizSolis) November 23, 2021
Andrew Garfield talks about how art has helped him handle grief & loss. Please take some time to watch this heartfelt interview & prepare some tissues.pic.twitter.com/5j2KUmGgWE
you will crack open my skull and find that clip of andrew garfield on the late show with stephen colbert saying “i hope this grief stays with me because it’s all the unexpressed love i didn’t get to tell her” on loop
— ✶ (@societists) November 23, 2021
What Andrew Garfield says here about grief is wonderful, and it reminds me a lot of how I’ve talked about losing my own mother. https://t.co/7Xj8dUBqs2
— Britton Peele (@BrittonPeele) November 23, 2021
One of the most beautiful conversations to occur between two human beings.
— Tito Marco S. (not Marcos) (@AkoSiTitoMarco) November 23, 2021
Watch this. And then, call your Moms—and all your friends and loved ones. ❤️🔥https://t.co/jJ4K3uOdJz
Andrew Garfield talks about art and grief and makes me tear up pic.twitter.com/XDLkpysWFw
— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) November 23, 2021
I’ve lost a sister, a de facto godmother, and multiple friends this year, so Andrew Garfield’s wonderful, grateful words on Colbert about grief hit home. But it wasn’t until my dog died in August that I was introduced to the “Grief is unexpressed love” idea that AG describes… https://t.co/njWaIU09vh
— David Kamp (@MrKamp) November 23, 2021
incase you fancied a cry today: andrew garfield talking beautifully about grief, love, and how art sews up our wounds pic.twitter.com/cTuLUmPlpM
— millicent (@millicentgames) November 23, 2021
Andrew Garfield: “It’s only a beautiful thing. It’s all the unexpressed love; the grief that will remain with us. We never get enough time with each other, right?”
— eileen chengyin chow (@chowleen) November 23, 2021
Grief as unexpressed love – truly, truly https://t.co/Jjtt03s9Fy
You can watch the segment of the show here as well.
What a wonderful perspective on loss, grief and love!