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Florence Pugh: Midsommar role left me broken for a long time
Florence Pugh reflects on her intense role in 'Midsommar': The actress felt 'broken' afterwards and explains how she had to protect herself from emotional exploitation.
Florence Pugh: Midsommar role left me broken for a long time
CNN — Florence Pugh is hesitant to take on another role similar to the one in the 2019 horror classic "Midsommar." The British actress admits she felt "abused" and "broken for a long time."
The challenge of “Midsommar”
In the film, Pugh plays Dani, a grieving student who visits a remote village in Sweden with her boyfriend to take part in a summer solstice festival that takes place every 90 years. But things soon unfold pagan rituals and cult-like horrors in the initially friendly community. Directed by Ari Aster, this story is loosely inspired by the Scandinavian midsummer festival.
Self-protection and personal boundaries
“Protecting myself is something I had to learn,” Pugh said on the “Reign with Josh Smith” podcast. In her new romantic drama “We Live in Time,” in which she stars alongside Andrew Garfield She explained that some of her roles require her to give "too much" of herself, which often leaves her "broken for a long time."
The dark side of acting
"When I think about 'Midsommar'... I definitely felt abused in the way I approached the role," she said. “It’s important to realize that I can’t do this again because it was just too much.” In an interview with The Sunday Times Pugh said that for the role she had to get into the right mindset to imagine her family members lying in coffins. This even caused her to hyperventilate as she imagined going to an open funeral for her siblings. "Over the years I've had to figure out how not to completely self-destruct," she told the British newspaper.
A complicated relationship with art
Despite the grueling process, Pugh already praised her director. In 2023, she told the New York Times, that Aster is “peculiar in the sense of a mad genius.” Despite the difficulties she faced during filming, Pugh is proud of her performance in the film's critical and commercial success.
Proud of your own achievements
“I’m really proud of what I did and what came out of me, so I have no regrets,” she concluded. Her honest insights provide a fascinating look at the challenges and emotions that acting can bring.