Florence Pugh has shared a deeply personal look at a dark period in her life, revealing how the end of a past relationship triggered a severe breakdown.
Speaking on the Louis Theroux podcast, the 29-year-old actress described hiding her pain and struggles from everyone around her, feeling that she was not “worthy” of sharing her vulnerabilities.
“I think for a long time I didn’t expose that part of my life, to even my friends,” she said.
“Then of course you find yourself in a pit or in a mess.
I had a breakdown and that is obvious when that happens.”
Coping Through Self-Harm
Florence admitted that her body responded to emotional exhaustion in painful ways.
She revealed that she began injuring herself as a way of coping with overwhelming stress.
“My body was just like, in full panic mode,” she said.
“I would injure myself in order to look after myself, which is a funny thing of my body asking for help.
I’d chop huge chunks out of my hands. I’ve just never done that since.”
She explained that these extreme actions were her body’s desperate signal for help, a physical manifestation of the anxiety and emotional turmoil she was experiencing.
Recognizing Toxic Patterns
The actress also reflected on the subtle ways abusive behavior can creep into a relationship.
She described noticing “microaggressions” and manipulative behavior over time, and how easy it is to normalize unhealthy dynamics.
“It’s not normal to feel like this, and it is not normal to be treated like this… it doesn’t feel good,” Florence said.
“You find yourself at the end going, ‘oh s***, a lot of weird stuff is happening and I’ve normalized this.’”
Finding Love Again
For the first time publicly, Florence confirmed she is currently in a relationship, describing it as “very good,” though she chose to remain private about her partner’s identity.
The actress has been linked to Peaky Blinders actor Finn Cole, 30.
The two have known each other for years and were first spotted together in September at the after-party for the London premiere of Netflix’s The Perfect Couple.
Defending Past Choices
Florence also addressed the backlash she faced for dating director Zach Braff, who is 21 years her senior.
Despite online criticism, she expressed no regrets about defending her choices.
“It was an insane amount of abuse being hurled at my relationship just because there was an age gap,” she said.
“I stood up for it, and I stood up for him, and I stood up for me just being allowed to do whatever the f**k I wanted to do.”
The pair had been together for three years before splitting in 2022.
Florence emphasized that defending the people she loves is something she will always do.
Moving Forward
Now, Florence seems to be in a healthier, happier place, balancing her personal life with a flourishing career.
While she continues to keep parts of her love life private, she has been candid about the lessons learned from past heartbreak and the importance of standing up for oneself and loved ones.