Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield star in the emotionally wrecking and tenderly exquisite movie “We Live in Time,” directed by John Crowley. The film captures the life of a couple, played by Pugh and Garfield, as they meet, fall in love, have a child, and battle cancer. While the performances of Pugh and Garfield were praised for their authenticity, what gained viral attention was a meme of a horse from the film. The internet quickly embraced the humorous meme, with one post garnering nearly 50 million views.
During an interview after the premiere, Pugh and Garfield shared their thoughts on the viral horse meme. Pugh expressed relief that the horse wasn’t a major part of the film, despite its popularity online. Garfield, on the other hand, found humor in the meme and shared his initial reaction to seeing the horse image before going on a retreat without access to his phone. Upon returning, he found the meme had spread widely, even catching the attention of Stephen Colbert, who featured it in a monologue.
Despite the unexpected viral attention the horse meme received, Pugh and Garfield conveyed both amusement and incredulity at its popularity. They jokingly bantered about the meme during their interview and shared some of their favorite reactions, including comparisons to other pop culture references featuring horses. The playful exchange between the two actors shed light on the unpredictability of internet memes and how they can impact the reception of a film, even overshadowing its more poignant moments.
Garfield’s lighthearted attitude towards the meme contrasted with Pugh’s initial concern that the meme might detract from the film’s emotional depth. However, both actors took the viral attention in stride and engaged in a candid conversation about their reactions to the unexpected phenomenon. Their humorous banter and shared amusement over the horse meme added a fun element to the interview, showcasing their chemistry and camaraderie in addressing the playful distraction from their film.
Overall, the horse meme from “We Live in Time” unexpectedly took on a life of its own, resonating with a wide online audience and generating numerous spin-offs and parodies. Pugh and Garfield’s responses to the meme highlighted the power of internet virality and its ability to bring attention to unexpected aspects of a film. While the horse meme may have dominated the online conversation surrounding the movie, it also served as a lighthearted and entertaining footnote to the more profound themes explored in “We Live in Time.”
