Ben Garfield Saves Lives - Facts about Andrew Garfield's Brother

Ben Garfield is the older brother of actor Andrew Garfield. The two siblings have always been close, but Ben is nothing like his younger brother. He is in the medical field and has been a support system throughout his younger brother's career.

Ben Garfield grew up as a bright boy who set a high academic standard for his younger brother, Andrew Garfield. His standards made his brother worry at some point in their lives, wondering if he was the 'waster' in their family.

Today, just as Ben Garfield is successful in his field, his younger brother became a successful actor, as acting was the only potential skill his teachers saw in him.

Ben Moved from the U.S. to Great Britain as a Child

Ben was born Benjamin in 1980 to an American father and a British mother. He grew up in Los Angeles with his famous brother until he was around six when his parents moved to the United Kingdom.

His father, Richard Garfield, was an entrepreneur who designed lampshades. After they relocated, his father became a coach at a swimming club while his mother, Lynn Garfield née Hillman, became a nursery school teacher.

Growing up, Ben's family was under financial pressure, and even though his parents did not talk about their monetary situation, it created an atmosphere in their house.

After they left the United States, Ben's family moved to the suburb of Banstead, Surrey, where he was enrolled in a private school alongside his brother.

At school, he was brilliant and also competed in local sports. Not only did he excel at academics, but he was also a straight-A student and set his sights on the medical field.

In an interview, Ben's famous brother spoke about him and described him as an over-achiever. The actor said:

"My brother is super-intelligent... an over-achiever and head boy at school."

Ben Is a Doctor and Researcher

Ben became a doctor, and his brother is always proud to talk about him. In 2021, Andrew Garfield revealed that his pulmonary specialist brother was quite busy during the pandemic, and he had to become his older brother's emotional support.

Ben attended Nottingham Medical School and graduated in 2004. Two years later, he received his Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom.

He never stopped studying as he also gained an MSc in Respiratory Medicine and received his registrar training in respiratory, critical care, and general medicine with the London Deanery.

In 2013, Ben received an award to become a Clinical Research Fellow and to undertake a Ph.D. at the National Heart and Lung Institute. During his studies, he investigated the role of TGF-beta signaling in developing muscle weakness in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

He has written journals published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Muscle, and the Respiratory Research.

In addition to being a medical doctor for the National Health Service in England, he has also worked as an honorary clinical senior lecturer at the faculty of medicine, department of surgery & cancer at the Imperial College London.

Ben Is Nothing like Andrew

Andrew and his brother share a close bond. He only speaks positively about him and even invited him into the studio for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

The brothers look very different despite their closeness and would never have been linked together as siblings. While the actor boasts a full head of hair, Ben, who takes after their father, is already showing signs of baldness.

Even though the actor has received several awards, he once revealed that his doctor brother, who saves lives, was his first co-star in a boxing film their father made when they were children.

Today, their father is happy with who they have become. At the 2017 Oscars, Richard, who graced the red carpet with his famous son, said he was proud of his boys.

Ben Garfield's Family Life

Ben has lived a private life despite having a famous brother. As of 2013, he was married and had two children. In June 2013, he was spotted with Emma Stone, who was dating his brother at the time.

He and his family had taken a stroll around the Manhattan neighborhood. They were with the actress while his brother was filming "The Amazing Spider-man 2" on set. His kids also visited their uncle on location.

Ben is not active on social media. His Facebook account shows that the last time he used the page was in 2014. He had posted a picture of himself and his kids as they practiced surfing on land.

In addition to not sharing his family life, he has not shared any information about his personal life. A couple of months after his first picture on Facebook, he updated his cover photo with an image of himself and his family on the beach.

Sadly, Ben's mom, Lynn Garfield, passed away in late 2019 after she was diagnosed with cancer. Before her death, he would spend time with her, his father, brother, nephews, and more.

According to Andrew, their mother was "the purest angel." She had always supported his dreams and even made him a Spider-man costume as a child.

After the actor discovered their mother's diagnosis, he never wanted to leave her side, but she encouraged him to return to set with a promise to call him when necessary. She kept to her commitment, and they spent her last two weeks together.