Florence Pugh is candidly discussing her decision to publicly voice support for Palestine, revealing that she never felt “scared” to do so. In an insightful cover story for Vanity Fair, the Oscar-nominated actress shared that she experienced a significant loss in social media followers, estimated in the hundreds of thousands, after voicing her opinion on the matter.
Pugh’s Call for Empathy Amidst Suffering
Pugh attended the Together for Palestine event last September, where she passionately expressed, “Silence in the face of such suffering is not neutrality, it is complicity, and empathy should not be this hard and it should have never been this hard.” Reflecting on her decision to speak out, she remarked, “I don’t know why it took so long for people to start talking and for people to actually feel sympathy. But no, I was never scared of it.”
Confusion in the Face of Inaction
She further conveyed her confusion about why so many individuals remained silent on the issue, stating, “weirdly, because so many people actively weren’t, that made me even more confused—and kind of probably even more in the right to talk about it.” Pugh noted that her team never advised her to refrain from discussing the topic and expressed gratitude to those who supported her attendance at the event, especially given that it conflicted with her production schedule for Avengers: Doomsday.
The Pain of Global Suffering
In discussing the ongoing crisis, Pugh articulated the emotional toll it takes to observe such suffering, stating, “It’s still happening, though. Babies are still dying. Mothers are still in pain. It’s really horrible to be watching such pain when so much of our lives just seem to be moving forward. I think that’s what I’ve found so difficult about social media as well: How can I say I’m having a really good time when literally one scroll up, I’m looking at a baby that’s motherless and fatherless?”
Upcoming Projects
Looking ahead, Pugh is preparing for the release of Netflix’s adaptation of East of Eden, set to debut on October 1. Additionally, she will star in Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled for release on December 18, coinciding with another highly anticipated project, Dune: Part Three.
