Andrew Garfield says that he understands his character Spider-Man "fighting for the underdog" because he was a victim of bullying.

The British actor, 28, plays the superhero in the upcoming movie and is one of the biggest names in showbiz now.

But Andrew told The Today Show that during his childhood he was set upon by aggressors and spoke about how that helped him to relate to his comic book idol.

"Between the ages of six and 12, I experienced bullying and I witnessed," he told the show. "It's obviously a very huge worldwide issue that young people have to deal with and it's wonderful having a teenage example of a hero."

"He's a symbol of doing the right thing and protecting each other and living in a community as opposed to [just as] individuals."