Andrew Garfield has revealed that he identifies with Spider-Man because of the superhero's vulnerability and small stature.

The actor is to play the web-slinging hero in the character's upcoming big screen reboot.

Garfield told The AP that the key to the Marvel Comics superhero's appeal is that he is easy for the public to relate to.

"His youth, his relatability, his struggle. He was just this skinny boy," he said. "He was a skinny boy who felt stronger on the inside than he looked on the outside, and I related to it immediately, and it stayed with me as I grew up."

The star added that he is truly honoured to be a part of the character's esteemed mythology.

He explained: "Every single generation of the comic, the cartoons and the movies, it all means a great deal to me. It was always something that gave me hope as a skinny little kid whose sense of injustice about the world didn't match his sense of strength about his body."

"I found it so inspiring and uplifting and reassuring. To be a part of that mythology and that legacy is a true honour."

The Spider-Man reboot is to be released in US cinemas in July 2012.

Source: Press Release