Florence Pugh critiques beauty standards in Hollywood

Actress Florence Pugh recently discussed the challenges of being a woman in Hollywood, expressing how exhausting it can be to constantly navigate industry expectations and beauty standards.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the star of We Live in Time spoke out about her decision to go against the grain and defy stereotypes imposed on women, in a recent interview.

"I'm not nasty — I hope people think I'm kind. But there are fine lines women have to stay within, otherwise they are called a diva, demanding, problematic," Pugh shared, adding, "And I don't want to fit into stereotypes made by others. It is really exhausting for a young woman to just be in this industry, and actually other industries. But I've always been encouraged to have a voice."

Having been in the industry for a decade, Pugh reflected on the early years of her career and the way women in Hollywood are often ridiculed for their appearance.

She recalled how, early on, headlines about fellow actress Keira Knightley would often focus on her physical appearance, diminishing her accomplishments.

"Look, not everybody has legs that go on for days. I remember watching this industry and feeling that I wasn't represented. I remember godawful headlines about how Keira Knightley isn't thin anymore, or watching women getting torn apart despite being talented and beautiful. The only thing people want to talk about is some useless [things] about how they look," she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

For Pugh, challenging beauty standards has been an important part of her journey.

"I wasn't trying to challenge. I just wanted to be there, to make space for a version of a person that isn't all the things they used to have to be," she explained.

Throughout her career, Pugh has consistently broken away from the expectations of how women should look and behave in the spotlight be it cutting her hair short or wearing bold fashion choices.

"I'm proud I've stuck by myself and look the way I look," she stated, adding, "I'm really interested in people who are still angry with me for not losing more weight, or who just hate my nose ring. I am not going to be able to just change the way that things are — but I can certainly help young women coming into this industry by making conversations happen where they weren't before."

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