Andrew Garfield's Portrayal of Sam Altman in 'Artificial' Draws Oscar Buzz

Luca Guadagnino's drama "Artificial," which premiered at the New York Film Festival, features Andrew Garfield as OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman. The film dramatizes the five-day period in November 2023 when OpenAI's board removed Altman, employees threatened a walkout, and the board reinstated him. Critics have praised the movie for its blend of humor and warning about artificial-intelligence development, and Garfield's portrayal has been singled out for its nuance.

Garfield's performance has been compared to Anthony Perkins' iconic role as Norman Bates, noting a similar use of subtle mannerisms to make a potentially antagonistic figure appear sympathetic. The comparison focuses on acting technique rather than suggesting any real-world wrongdoing by Altman.

Neon, the distributor, is positioning Yura Borisov, who plays computer scientist Ilya Sutskever, as the lead for awards consideration, while submitting Garfield in the supporting-actor category. Borisov has previously earned an Oscar nomination for "Anora," and the ensemble also includes Cooper Hoffman as board chairman Greg Brockman and Monica Barbaro as CTO Mira Murati.

The film will screen at the BFI London Film Festival before a limited theatrical release on Christmas Day, with a wider rollout planned for January. Industry observers note that the movie's subject matter may influence Academy voters, given ongoing debates about AI in Hollywood.