COUPLESAndrew Garfield's Girlfriend Monica Barbaro Says He Inspires Her to Be a Better Actress in Rare Relationship Comment: 'Have to Step Up My Game'
Monica Barbaro opened up about working with Andrew Garfield.
Aug. 5 2026, Updated 11:25 a.m. ET
Actress Monica Barbaro gushed over her boyfriend Andrew Garfield's inspiring acting prowess.
Barbaro made a rare comment about her relationship with The Amazing Spider-Man actor in an interview with InStyle for their August 2026 cover story.
"I mean, he's one of the best actors of his generation, our generation, I just learned a lot from his approach to the material and to developing character, and I felt very fortunate to get to witness that in real time," she said.
'I Really Have to Step Up My Game'
Monica Barbaro admitted she had to work a little harder to keep up with Andrew Garfield.
The couple is set to star across from one another in the forthcoming biopic, Artificial, which follows the firing and rehiring of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Garfield is slated to play Altman, while Barbaro will act as his chief technology officer, Mira Murati.
The actress explained that working with her beau has inspired her to work harder and dig deeper as she transforms into each new character throughout her skyrocketing career.
"Oh s---, I really have to step up my game and make sure I'm a proper, legitimate scene partner," she recalled thinking while filming with Garfield.
Monica Barbaro stars alongside Andrew Garfield in the upcoming film 'Artificial.'
Their debut film together was dropped from Amazon MGM Studios just months after the company invested $50 billion into OpenAI.
Amid the switch-up, Neon, the film studio behind Oscar-winners Anora and Parasite, picked up the movie directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Barbaro admitted she "wasn't concerned" that their film would find a new home and be released in time for the 2027 Oscar season.
"I don’t want to sound callous about it, but I wasn’t concerned,” the Oscar-nominee explained. “I just trusted so much of the feedback I was getting about the movie, that it was really well-liked, and I trust in Luca."
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Monica Barbaro was first linked to Andrew Garfield in February 2025.
The 36-year-old was first linked to Garfield, 42, in February 2025 after they were spotted attending a performance of Richard III together in London.
They have since been out and about together at various events, supporting each other's projects, but neither has commented publicly on their relationship.
Garfield spoke out in the past about his "right" to maintain privacy when it comes to his romantic life.
"I have never, and I won’t ever, speak about or confirm or deny anything about my personal life with anyone, ever," he told Esquire in 2024.
Who Did Andrew Garfield Date Before Monica Barbaro?
Andrew Garfield previously dated Emma Stone and Rita Ora.
Before being linked to Barbaro, the We Live In Time alum was rumored to be dating Kate Tomas, a British spiritual advisor and philosopher. He also dated actress Emma Stone in the 2010s and singer Rita Ora in 2018.
Barbaro has fewer known partners after rising to fame for playing Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown in 2024. She was romantically linked to actor Connor Tillman well before she shot to stardom.
While Barbaro has remained close-lipped about her dating life, the star did share a green flag she likes to see in a potential partner while promoting her new rom-com with Callum Turner, One Night Only.
"Authenticity is number one," she told Nine.com in February. "If you're shrouding parts of your personality behind trying to project some sort of perfectionistic image of yourself, you're gonna find yourself disappointed in that relationship.”
