Andrew Garfield tells Elmo 'sadness is a gift' as actor recalls the heartbreak of losing his mom

Grief and sadness are part of the human experience, whether from small disappointments or major losses. Though it’s an emotion we often try to avoid, sadness can remind us of our ability to love and empathize. It’s an essential part of life, something actor Andrew Garfield reflected on during a touching conversation with Elmo (@elmo) from "Sesame Street." In this heartfelt exchange, Garfield shared how he copes with sadness, offering an eye-opening perspective on the beauty of grief.

In the video shared on Elmo's X handle and the Sesame Workshop YouTube channel, the Muppet casually checked in on the "Tick, Tick... Boom!" actor. Sharing his pleasure in meeting Elmo, Garfield appeared a bit downbeat even as he said, "I'm doing okay." When asked about the cause of his melancholy, the actor began opening up about what was bothering him and Elmo, being the friendliest and most thoughtful puppet that he is, was all ears. Garfield shared that he was missing his late mom that day, and when the Muppet expressed sympathy, he adorably reassured him, "It's actually kind of okay to miss somebody." The furry red puppet then said, "You know, Elmo always feels really sad when he misses somebody."

The "We Live In Time" actor nodded in agreement with Elmo's outlook on grief but added that sadness is also a vital part of life. "Sadness is, kind of, a gift. Kind of a lovely thing to feel in a way because it means you really loved someone when you miss them," Garfield said. He shared that he remembers his mom's cuddles and hugs whenever he misses her and it made him happy "in a strange way." He chooses to focus on the cheerful memories of his mother, who brought joy to everyone in the family, allowing him to both celebrate and miss her at the same time.

The "Hacksaw Ridge" actor was deeply moved by the fact that Elmo really listened to him and celebrated his mom with him. It turns out that Elmo was the actor's mom's favorite character and he was sure that this heart-to-heart would've pleased her if she were alive. The wholesome duo ended their conversation with a hug, expressing their love for each other. "And you know what? We're going to celebrate all the special people that you missed too," said Elmo to the viewers and the actor added, "That's right! Each and every day, altogether." The video garnered over 14 million views within just three days of being posted and people in the comment section were bawling over this heartwarming conversation.

"Grief is love with nowhere to go. Andrew's perspective on his mom is so heartwarming and relatable," said @miss__rhodes. "Such a heartwarming video! I lost my mum suddenly 29 years ago today, so it means so much to have a video like this cross my feed. I think it's lovely that you're teaching children about grief in such a thoughtful way. Thank you so much, Elmo and Mr Andrew!" lauded @ElleBeePhotos."That's a beautiful sentiment. It's touching how he connects his feelings of loss to the joy she brought into his life," added @ItsRamezh.