Florence Pugh Sheds Light On The 'Hard' & 'Exhausting' Realities Of Being A Young Woman In Hollywood

Florence Pugh opened up about the challenges of being a young woman in Hollywood, describing the experience as "exhausting" but empowering in an interview.

The actress discussed how the Me Too movement shaped her need to advocate for herself and prioritize mental health.

Florence Pugh has also discussed the emotional toll of intense roles, like "Midsommar," and her pride in the performances.

During an appearance on the "Reign With Josh Smith" podcast, Pugh opened up about her struggles as a young woman in Hollywood.

The 29-year-old actress, who first appeared on screen in the 2014 drama "The Falling" at age 18 and has since risen to prominence as one of the industry's most sought-after stars, reflected on how her entry into the entertainment world coincided with the rise of the Me Too movement.

This timing, she explained, reinforced the importance of advocating for herself.

"It's very hard. It's exhausting as well. It's really, really tiring," Pugh shared, per the Daily Mail. "Young women in this industry have so much to fight for and to protect and to defend and then to shout about. It's really, really hard. It's an experience and it does make you claim yourself. It makes you have to figure yourself out."

Pugh added that she has learned to prioritize her well-being, saying, "Now I get to just look after myself, I look after my heart and that's where I am right now. I wouldn't have changed anything. I'm really proud of the things that I stood up for."

Reflecting on the progress made for women in the industry, Pugh acknowledged improvements but emphasized the ongoing need to fight for fairness and equality.

"Now we're in a time which is definitely getting better for women but it doesn't mean that you don't constantly have to keep on fighting for things that you believe are correct," she noted.

The actress continued, "I've always been proud of the way that I defended myself, whether that's on Instagram or in interviews. I've always been proud of the way that I'm not scared of speaking up for myself."

Pugh also revealed how important it is for her to prioritize her mental health, especially after taking on emotionally demanding roles.

Reflecting on her experience filming the horror movie "Midsommar," the 29-year-old admitted the role left her feeling drained, describing it as a form of self-inflicted strain.

"Protecting myself is something that I've had to learn how to do," she shared. "There have been some roles that I've given too much to, and I've been broken for a long while afterward."

She continued: "Like when I did Midsommar, I definitely felt like I abused myself in a way in the places that I got myself to. The nature of figuring these things out is you need to go, 'All right, well I can't do that again cause that was too much."

Despite the toll, Pugh said she finds pride in her performance: "I also then look at that performance, and I'm really proud of what I did, and I'm proud of what came out of me. So I don't regret it."

Pugh discussed her decision to shave her head for her role in "We Live In Time," where she portrays a woman battling ovarian cancer alongside Andrew Garfield.

"If I couldn't have shaved my head I wouldn't have accepted this movie. I think it is so important to do it," she said, per Cover Media. "If you're lending yourself to a story like this, If you're lending yourself to a cancer story like this, I couldn't have not done it."

The "Black Widow" star described the scene as a touching and tender moment within the film.

Pugh explained, "The scene was always a very beautiful scene… This couple were making it a beautiful act that their daughter could remember and it didn't have to be a sad thing. The Sun was gonna come out. They were gonna take a chair outside."

She added, "They were gonna have a biscuit and a tea and they were all going to shave Mummy's hair and they were gonna collect it. I added the collecting because I wanted to actually keep my hair this time."

During the chat, Pugh also revealed that working on "We Live In Time" was just as emotionally intense for her and Garfield during filming as it is for viewers watching the final product.

She shared that many scenes "really hit (her) in the heart." However, she had to hold back tears to stay true to her character, Almut, who remains a steady source of strength throughout the film.

"There were certain things that would happen just because they were so emotional, and we'd be having an emotional conversation within the scene, and (director) John (Crowley) would come in and be like, 'No, no, no, Florence, you can't cry here,'" Pugh recounted.

The actress continued, "I'd be like, 'What?! This is heartbreaking!' And he was like, 'No, you're the pillar of the family. This is something that happens to him but not to you. And so then when you do actually break down, it's hopefully going to really hurt the soul."