Long after his death, the legacy of Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti continues to reach audiences far beyond the world of music, with Hollywood actor Andrew Garfield revealing that the late musician influenced his portrayal of Spider-Man.
Garfield, who played Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man films and reprised the role in Spider-Man: No Way Home, said Fela’s music became part of his preparation for the superhero character.
Speaking in an interview clip shared on X by entertainment platform T.U.E (@TheUpperEnt), the actor explained that he regularly creates playlists for the characters he portrays. When he was cast as Spider-Man, however, his preparation led him to the music of the Nigerian icon.
“When I first got Spider-Man, I started listening to Fela,” Garfield said.
According to the actor, there was something about the rhythm and sound of Fela’s Afrobeat that helped him understand Spider-Man beyond the dialogue and action associated with the character.
Garfield said the music influenced the physicality of his performance, including the way he moved while wearing the Spider-Man suit.
“The way I moved in the suit has some inspiration from Fela and his music,” he revealed.
But the connection went beyond movement. Garfield also drew inspiration from Fela’s reputation as a revolutionary figure and his commitment to confronting injustice.
“Fela was a revolutionary figure,” the actor said, explaining that the musician’s pursuit of justice resonated with the qualities he wanted to bring to Spider-Man.
The revelation offers an unusual link between two figures separated by culture, profession and generations. Fela became internationally recognised for using Afrobeat to challenge corruption, oppression and military rule in Nigeria, while Spider-Man’s story is built around responsibility and the decision to stand up against wrongdoing.
Fela died in 1997, but his music and political legacy have continued to influence artists and audiences around the world. His distinctive sound and outspoken activism have also helped establish him as one of Africa’s most internationally recognised musical figures.
Garfield’s comments provide another example of the reach of that legacy, showing how Fela’s music can influence creative expression outside its original cultural and musical setting.
Garfield portrayed Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), and later returned as the character in Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
