Sunday, April 6, 2025
Florence Pugh: Creativity Through Authenticity
Florence Pugh is widely regarded as one of today's most talented actresses due mainly to her range and authenticity. She's starred in psychological thrillers such as "Midsommar", written original scores for "A Good Person", and shown off her cooking skills on her YouTube series, "Cooking with Flo." She has engaged creatively with film in nearly every way a person can.
Pugh's process when taking on a new role is deeply involved. She preferrs to improvise her most intense scenes, allowing the emotion of her character to flow through her. In fact, many of her scenes in the blockbuster movie "Midsommar" were improvised. She wants to feel as though she is living the scene, not merely performing it. This is clear when you reflect upon the authenticity of her work, and how she makes you feel as if you are living the scene with her.
This connects to Rick Rubin's "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" because he states, "The artist’s job is to be present and allow the work to come through,” and that is exactly how Florence operates. Her authenticity is her strongest asset as it better engages her audience and greatly increases the quality of her work. Pugh's use of improvisation makes it a necessity that she is present in her role at all times.
Pugh is one of the few actors that can float between genres seamlessly, adapting to every role and bringing her characters to life with ease. This is due to her incredible ability to be present, and allow the personality of her character to come through her.
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I really enjoyed this blog post about Florence Pugh and her creative process! I have been a fan of hers for a while, and it is so fascinating to learn more about how she brings such authenticity to her roles. I will admit that when I first watched Don’t Worry Darling, I was primarily excited to see Harry Styles, but I was completely captivated by Florence’s performance. I had no idea that she improvises many of her scenes but it makes so much sense now. Her ability to make everything feel so raw and real truly highlights her immense talent and deep connection to her characters.
ReplyDeleteI also loved the connection to Rick Rubin’s The Creative Act. Florence’s approach to acting perfectly aligns with Rubin’s idea that the artist’s job is to be present and allow the work to flow. Watching her in Don’t Worry Darling (as well as the rest of her discography!), I could really sense that presence -- she brings such depth to her character, making the entire film that much more engaging and authentic. It is this exact unique blend of authenticity and natural talent that makes Florence such an exceptional actress!
I enjoyed reading your post! I have been wanting to watch Midsummar for a while now after I saw Florence Pugh in Black Widow. I appreciate how she tries to live in a scene rather than just performing it! She puts emotion in her acting, and it can be subtle, which makes it a lot more authentic.
ReplyDeleteIt is so amazing that she improvises her most intense scenes, I never knew that! I think it is really a testament to how talented she is, and it is very interested to hear about the creative process of someone who is bringing a story to life on film. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI have watched so many films that Pugh stars in, and I never knew that she improvised so many of her scenes. She stars in so many different genres and it's amazing how she is able to immerse herself into the role and really become the role. It's a true testament to how much she puts into each act!
ReplyDeletePugh's authenticity and dedication to acting is an interesting thing you highlighted -- most renowned actors are praised for this trait, albeit it also carries a shadow of pain with it. Falling deep into a role or task can be dangerous for passionate creatives, as it is difficult to emerge from it without outside assistance. The fact that Pugh manages to manage her creative endeavors both physically and psychologically is a testament to her impact on film.
ReplyDeleteI love Florence Pugh, but I never knew that she improvised so many of her scenes. I suppose it does make sense based on the way she makes even the viewers feel like they are part of the scene. Because she believes it, so do we. I am sure that both Pugh and Rubin would agree that living through the art is the hardest way to do it emotionally though. Letting go is hard and can have lasting affects on the author. I will be interested to see how Pugh continues to develop as an actress.
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