“People Will Attack You Either Way”: Florence Pugh Opens Up About Body Shaming

Florence Pugh, the star of Little Women and Dune, has once again spoken out against Hollywood’s unrealistic beauty standards. The 30-year-old actress said women in the entertainment industry are constantly judged for their weight, clothing, age and appearance — and that it is virtually impossible to satisfy everyone. Gain a few pounds and you are accused of being overweight; lose weight and people start commenting that you are too thin.

In an interview with ELLE for its Women in Hollywood issue, Pugh discussed how she has learned to deal with such remarks and why she no longer feels the need to look flawless on screen.

“There is an extraordinary amount of scrutiny around how we look, how we dress and how we age. And when we change something, the comments immediately start: ‘Oh my God, she looks like that,’ ‘She’s had too much work done,’ ‘She’s gained weight’ or ‘She’s lost too much weight.’ There is no sweet spot where you can get it right for everyone,” the actress said.

According to Pugh, some of her strongest performances have come when she was not trying to look beautiful.

“I think the best work I’ve done in my career has been when I genuinely felt ugly. When I had terrible makeup, when I was ill, looked unattractive, was hungover or having a nervous breakdown. I love that kind of makeup because it allows me to be free,” she admitted.

The actress believes that acting gives her the opportunity to break free from her usual self-consciousness and stop worrying about how her body looks. If the camera captures folds on her stomach or cellulite on her thighs, she sees no reason to be concerned.

“I love that when I’m acting, I can feel comfortable in my own body. If the camera shows a fold on my stomach, then it’s there. If you can see cellulite on my thighs, then that’s how it should be. I’m just giving myself to the art. That’s why acting has always made me feel free,” she explained.

Pugh also stressed that women will face criticism regardless of their appearance.

“People will attack you either way. They’ll say you’re too thin, too fat, too wrinkly, too loud, too quiet or too opinionated. There will always be something someone doesn’t like,” the actress said.

In her view, the most important thing is to learn to accept yourself and not allow other people’s judgments to define your worth.