Florence Pugh Discusses “Painful” Online Body Comments, Labels the Internet as a “Mean Place”

Florence Pugh, renowned for her role in We Live in Time, has openly shared her challenges with the harsh criticisms she endures online, especially regarding her body image. In a frank interview with British Vogue for their October issue, the 28-year-old actress termed the internet “a very mean place”and admitted that absorbing negative commentary is “really painful.”

Pugh has consistently advocated for body positivity and embraces her natural figure, yet the relentless barrage of online abuse weighs heavily on her mental health. In the interview, she elaborated on how this negativity affects her both personally and professionally.

Florence Pugh Reflects on Online Abuse

Star of Little Women, Florence Pugh shared the detrimental effect of hurtful comments on her self-esteem, stating:

“It’s really painful to read people being nasty about my confidence or nasty about my weight. It never feels good.”

Despite her public commitment to body positivity, the incessant scrutiny often leaves her feeling exposed. Her forthright attitude towards this topic has become an essential part of her identity. Last year, she told Elle UK:

“I speak the way I do about my body because I’m not trying to hide the cellulite on my thigh or the squidge in between my arm and my boob.”

Florence Pugh also touched upon how public scrutiny has affected her personal life. She revealed how she and her former partner, Zach Braff, had to confront online abuse that turned their previously private relationship into a public topic of discussion.

“I had to be public with my relationship in the past because people were bullying me and bullying my partner,”she explained.

Regarding her professional life, Pugh has learned how to manage the pressures of fame, including the high expectations that come with magazine cover shoots. Talking about her initial experiences with fashion magazines, she shared that it felt unnatural at first.

“I’m not a model. It’s portraying a completely different version of myself that I don’t necessarily believe in,”she remarked.

However, she has gradually become more comfortable with her public image, indicating that she now knows “who I want to show”and feels less insecure about her appearance.

In discussing her commitment to her craft, Florence Pugh revealed her bold choice to shave her head for her role in We Live in Time. For the English actress, this transformation was essential to authentically embodying her character. “It was just always a no-brainer,”she asserted, emphasizing that the decision represented her full dedication to the role.

Pugh noted that this significant physical change was vital not only for her character but also a source of empowerment for herself.

Florence Pugh is currently promoting her upcoming film We Live in Time, set to premiere on October 11. In this romantic comedy, she portrays Almut, a cancer patient. Last year, her exceptional performance in Oppenheimer earned her widespread acclaim.

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