Fact Check: Did Andrew Garfield's grandfather create Garfield comics? Viral post debunked

Garfield has enjoyed enduring popularity ever since its inception in 1978. From reading the comics to watching the cartoon to even hoarding merchandise, the orange tabby cat has been winning hearts for generations now. However, the cartoon's popularity has also often led to it being the subject of unfounded rumors, key among them being that it was created by actor Andrew Garfield’s grandfather.

Of late, many social media users have taken to Twitter to claim that the character was inspired by Andrew Garfield’s childhood cat, named Lasagna. One particular post, shared by user @MediumSizeMeech just 5 days back, has already garnered over 16 million views and 7000+ retweets.

However, it must be noted that none of these claims are true.

It was cartoonist Jim Davis who created Garfield. The cartoonist actually named the cat after his grandfather, James Garfield Davis. The same was also verified by the cartoon's official Twitter page last year.

It must also be noted that there is no concrete proof that Andrew Garfield ever had a cat named Lasagna. Hence, the news about the cartoon character being created by his grandfather is fake and untrue.

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Jim Davis is not related to Andrew Garfield: Fake news about the cartoon character debunked

As the claims of the cartoon character being created by Andrew's grandfather were debunked, many social media users also speculated whether Jim Davis, the original creator, was related to the actor. However, there seems to be no familial relationship between the two.

On the other hand, since the comic strip also has several references to Lasagna, in 2021, Andrew was asked about his ties to the orange tabby cat in an interview with Wired. When the interviewer asked him if he likes Lasagna, the actor responded by saying:

"I get the reference. And I don't appreciate it. No, I love Garfield. I used to love reading comics. And I do love lasagna. But it's not related to the cat."

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Social media users react to the false claims

As social media users debunked the theory that Andrew Garfield’s grandfather created the cartoon comic strip, they also did not miss out on the opportunity to share hilarious responses to the same.

The funny reactions came especially after @MediumSizeMeech's post was flagged by Twitter, with a content advisory stating that "None of this is true."

Fake news debunked: The cartoon character was not inspired by the actor's cat and was not created by his grandfather. (Image via Twitter)

The comments section of the post was filled with comments, funny responses and clarifications regarding the rumor:

Fake news debunked: The cartoon character was not inspired by the actor's cat and was not created by his grandfather. (Image via Twitter)

Fake news debunked: The cartoon character was not inspired by the actor's cat, and is not created by his grandfather. (Image via Twitter)

Fake news debunked: The cartoon character was not inspired by the actor's cat, and is not created by his grandfather. (Image via Twitter)

Fake news debunked: The cartoon character was not inspired by the actor's cat, and is not created by his grandfather. (Image via Twitter)

Fake news debunked: The cartoon character was not inspired by the actor's cat, and is not created by his grandfather. (Image via Twitter)

Fake news debunked: The cartoon character was not inspired by the actor's cat, and is not created by his grandfather. (Image via Twitter)

At the same time, social media users should steer clear of fake news and avoid falling prey to information which has no reliable source. In such cases, it is best not to share it further, and if possible, flag the news or report it so that it is not circulated further.