Florence Pugh has opened up about her struggles with depression. The actress revealed that her intense role in the film Midsommar took a toll on her mental health. The harrowing experience plunged her into depression that lasted for six months.
“I just can't exhaust myself like that because it has a knock-on effect. I think [Midsommar] made me sad for like six months after, and I didn't know why I was depressed," Florence said during her appearance on The Louis Theroux Podcast.
Florence Pugh On How Playing An Emotional Character In Midsommar Took A Toll On Her Mental Health
The actress added, "I got back after shooting Little Women, which was such a fun experience and obviously a completely different tone from Midsommar, so I think I shelved all of that. And then when I got home for Christmas, I was so depressed and I was like, ‘Oh, I think that's from Midsommar,' and I didn't deal with it and I probably shouldn't do that again.”
Florence revealed that the intense emotional demands of her character in Midsommar were unlike anything she'd experienced before. The film prompted her to fully immerse herself in the role to grasp the depth of her character's suffering.
"I'd never done anything like that before, and I was like, ‘OK, well here's my opportunity. I need to give this a go.' And I would just basically put myself through hell. But, I don't do that anymore. It really fucked me up," she said.
Florence Pugh Broke Down On A Flight
Pugh recounted a pivotal moment on a flight after wrapping Midsommar, where she broke down in tears. The actress shared that she felt like she'd abandoned her character Dani in a vulnerable state.
“My brain was obviously feeling sympathy for myself because I'd abused myself and really manipulated my own emotions to get a performance, but I also then felt sorry for what I'd done. It was very, very strange," the actress concluded.
Florence Pugh played the role of Dani in the Ari Aster-directed film, Midsommar. The story follows a young woman who becomes embroiled in a sinister pagan cult in a remote Swedish village. After a family tragedy, her already fragile mental state deteriorates further when she's manipulated and exploited by the cult, leading to a terrifying descent into madness and a dark confrontation with the cult's twisted rituals.
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