Andrew Garfield spent months studying Sam Altman as he prepared to portray the OpenAI CEO in Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial, using crowdsourcing and the Stanislavski acting technique to understand the tech executive.

Garfield spent around two to three months watching and listening to footage of Altman, studying interviews and other publicly available material as he worked towards the performance. Rather than simply attempting to imitate Altman, the actor focused on understanding his behaviour and finding the character through observation.

The actor also used crowdsourcing as part of his research, seeking out people who had interacted with Altman and could offer insight into what he was like away from public appearances. The approach allowed Garfield to build his portrayal from a wider range of perspectives rather than relying solely on Altman’s media presence.

Garfield’s preparation also drew on the Stanislavski technique, an acting approach centred on creating a believable character through detailed psychological and emotional understanding. His work was particularly focused on capturing Altman’s mannerisms and physicality.

Artificial is directed by Guadagnino and centres on the events surrounding Altman’s dramatic removal as OpenAI CEO in November 2023 and his return to the company days later. Garfield stars alongside Yura Borisov, who plays OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, while the film also features Ike Barinholtz as Elon Musk.

The film has attracted considerable attention because of its depiction of real events involving one of the most prominent figures in the artificial intelligence industry. Amazon MGM Studios originally backed the project but dropped it after entering into a major partnership with OpenAI. Neon subsequently acquired the film for release.

Artificial is set to premiere at the New York Film Festival before its theatrical release through Neon on December 25.