Spencer Pratt Mocks Andrew Garfield's Anti-Billionaire Rhetoric Amid 'The Uprising' Premiere

Key points

• Andrew Garfield stated during a press screening that he hopes any billionaires watching 'The Uprising' are 'scared shitless,' calling them 'soul sick.'
• Spencer Pratt responded on X, pointing out that billionaires greenlight Garfield’s movies and pay his multi-million dollar salaries, citing his recent $5 million role in 'Artificial.'
• 'The Uprising,' directed by Paul Greengrass, is based on the 1381 Peasants' Revolt and features a cast including Jamie Bell and Katherine Waterston.
• The film opened in US cinemas on September 10, 2026, but has faced poor initial reactions and marketing challenges, including a brief and unsuccessful attempt to tie it to the Robin Hood legend.
• Commentators have noted the irony of wealthy Hollywood figures like Mark Ruffalo and Andrew Garfield criticizing billionaires, with Ruffalo’s estimated net worth cited as $90 million.

Background

Andrew Garfield has a history of using his platform for progressive causes, including advocating for a gay Spider-Man in future films. The current controversy follows a pattern of public pushback against wealthy celebrities who criticize wealth, as seen in earlier critiques of George Clooney by Spencer Pratt. The film 'The Uprising' is part of a broader trend of historical dramas being used to comment on modern economic issues, though its commercial performance has been underwhelming.

How outlets are covering it

Hollywood in Toto frames the controversy as a case of hypocrisy, emphasizing the irony of Garfield’s anti-billionaire stance given his own wealth and the industry’s reliance on billionaire funding. The outlet also notes the film’s poor reception and marketing struggles. Yahoo and tbreak.com focus more on Garfield’s statements and the film’s historical basis, with tbreak.com providing details on the cast and release date. The sources differ in tone, with Hollywood in Toto being more critical of Garfield’s motives, while Yahoo and tbreak.com present the information more neutrally, focusing on the actor’s comments and the film’s context.

Why it matters

The controversy highlights the ongoing tension between Hollywood’s progressive rhetoric and the industry’s reliance on billionaire funding. It also underscores the challenges faced by historical dramas that attempt to draw parallels between past and present economic issues, particularly when the creators are themselves part of the wealthy elite. The poor reception of 'The Uprising' suggests that audiences may be skeptical of such messaging, especially when it comes from figures perceived as hypocritical.

What to watch

The film's box office performance will likely be a key indicator of how audiences receive its political messaging. Garfield and the film's marketing team may need to adjust their promotional strategy in light of the backlash. The broader conversation about wealth and Hollywood may continue, with other celebrities potentially facing similar critiques for their public statements.