Florence Pugh is 24 years old. She’s dating Zach Braff, who is 45 years old. They’ve been together since 2018. People have sh-t to say about their relationship and their age difference, and for some reason, that criticism is the most traumatic thing that’s ever happened to Florence. Which is a particular kind of privilege in and of itself, and you would think that perhaps Florence would recognize that in addition to all of the other stuff she’s finally acknowledging, but whatever. I guess not. She’s spoken about how she hates when people negatively comment on her relationship in interviews and in an Instagram video. And she’s still talking about it, this time in a podcast.
Florence Pugh is opening up about the difficulties in navigating criticism about her relationship with Zach Braff. The Oscar-nominated actress appeared on the Sue Perkins: An hour or so with… podcast on Tuesday in which Pugh, 24, spoke about the Internet reactions she’d seen about her and Braff, 45, due to their age difference.
“I’ve always found it funny, how I can be good enough for people to watch my work and support my work and pay for tickets, and I’m old enough to be an adult and pay taxes, but I’m not old enough to know who I should and should not have sex with,” Pugh told the host, Sue Perkins. She continued, “Yet again, once again, it’s making a young woman feel like s— for no reason.”
Pugh defended her relationship to Braff in an interview with Elle UK in May. In April, the Little Women actress slammed her followers for criticizing the couple’s age difference in a video in which she said the criticism “makes me upset.”
“I think I did feel s— for a while for admitting that,” Pugh told Perkins in the podcast. “And then I thought how ridiculous is that? I’m 24 and I can’t choose who I love. There’s a reason why I’m not with someone my age — it hasn’t worked. So, who are you trying to match me up with?”
“I think because of the entertainment industry, obviously those lines get very blurred,” the actress added. “People want to have a say on who you go out with, where you go to lunch. I’ve just always found that weird, how people have a say over your private life. The fact is, I’m not a reality TV star, I don’t let people into my life like that. Since when has it been okay for people to shout at someone for their relationship? It’s crazy to me.”
Braff and Pugh have kept their relationship low-key and out of the public spotlight ever since they seemingly became close friends in 2018.
Again, is this her biggest problem? The fact that *some* people on the internet are like “wow, that age difference is gross”? I understand that a lot of the comments are rude as hell. Like, I get that, and I’m not minimizing the daily harassment and bulls–t women face for simply “being on the internet” or “being on social media.” But Florence is just mad that her fans find it creepy that she’s dating someone middle-aged. And honestly, I don’t get why she’s still talking about it and reminding everyone about it? If she’s confident about her relationship and in love with Braff, what does it matter what anyone says? I’m half-expecting her to sign an open letter saying that she has a right to date 70-year-olds without having to face the apparently catastrophic consequence of “reading negative Instagram comments.”
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Those overalls are ghastly. Also, she seems to have very thin skin for a ‘celebrity’ – you put yourself and relationship out there for public consumption, expect some negative comments.
Ha! I met my best friend on the bus. She used to take her young kids to school, as I did. I also worked at the school. She used to wear knee-length overalls and (different styles of) white shirts, white sneakers and those gold-framed sunglasses that were so popular here. She had this look that was all her own, and could still pull it off today. It’s her birthday in 3 weeks, and I can’t wait, because after a couple of years of searching, I’ve found those sunnies again. They’re much-missed by her because her lashes are so long they touch most sunglasses’ lenses! 😂
Anyway, this Florence shouldn’t wear her gardening clothes to row. Not a good look. Neither is whining about people’s attention when, by choice, your life depends on people’s attention.
Lol it’s not so much that the age difference is gross (although it kinda is), it’s that it’s…Zach Braff.
It’s too bad she’s such a pill in real life, she’s so great in Lady Macbeth and Midsommar.
Is this his insecurity or hers?
She’s young and fairly new to fame. I’ll let her be upset that people can’t tell the difference between protecting women from creeps and infantilizing them.
This.
Normally I’m with you, but Florence seems pretty immature.
Also, Zach Braff must be delighted she is both keeping g him relevant and absorbing the negative criticism which should rightfully be going his way.
Rightfully going his way? For being in a consensual relationship? It’s not like he has a long storied history of only dating young women (like Leo).
It’s a fine line between discussing double standards in dating, preying on young women, etc. and infantilizing women. In our efforts to dismantle patriarchy we cannot accidentally remove a women’s agency. She can look back in 10 years and regret this relationship, most do at 24. That doesn’t mean he’s done something wrong by simply dating her.
You know what we need is an organization dedicated to raising awareness and acceptance of older men dating young women. That would be so empowering. Where do I donate?
@Darla, I think that’s part of Leo’s foundation.
Accurate. Unless I hear solid evidence that he abused and manipulated her into this relationship, I don’t have a negative opinion of it. She has a right to be upset for her longterm partner. She *may* come to regret making her upset so public, but that’s a lesson we all learn as young people who use social media.
Wow so accurate
Whenever she talks about this I’m reminded of the quote from The Little Mermaid: “I’m 16 years old! I’m not a child anymore!”
Yes, Florence is an adult and can make her own choices. Sometimes relationships with age gaps work and age is truly just a number. But to me, as someone just a couple years older than her (I’m 27), she sounds incredibly immature the way she talks about this relationship and asserts how mature she is.
+1.
If you have to constantly remind everyone that you’re mature, then maybe you aren’t has mature as you think.
Agreed. Years from now after she’s matured more, she may look back at this and think “why did I care so much about what people think?” and also, turn your damn Instagram comments off or just don’t have one if you don’t like the public commenting on things. Life can exist outside of social media.
Zach has a rep for being with younger women and that to me is a red flag, IMO.
Yes, I wish someone would tell her “Just fuck your man and be happy and mind your business. Why are you tripping about what someone else thinks about your choices if you REALLY feel grown enough to make them?”
It’s sad that she’s made this her brand. Complaining about complaints about her older boyfriend. So this is what an It Girl looks like during lockdown. Get a better PR team, lady.
She has indeed made this her brand. I haven’t seen her in any movies, so all I know of her is this self-induced drama because she can’t stay off of social media.
Get offline then. Jesus Christ.
no shit!
*shrug* if I were her I’d just block people. I think the age gap is icky but if she doesn’t care and criticism bothers her this much, just block people talking shit in the comments and keep it moving.
Shut off comments on her Instagram and stop talking about it to the press. Problem solved.
Florence, there are people that are dying
YES.
And she knows this!!! Zach was very close to nick Cordero and Amanda kloots. Florence has first hand knowledge that there are more important things, and here she is still whining.
I don’t get why she even reads the comments on Instagram? Or if her “fans” are making her feel bad, then Idk, block them or as someone said above, get offline!
Why is she feeding into this? She’s only creating more issues for herself in the long run. Feeding into negativity will always turn out bad. She’s young, maybe she doesn’t understand that yet? Stop talking about it and people will eventually do the same!
Exactly, she can make this issue go away. This is what makes me think she needs to develop more emotional maturity before being in a relationship with anyone.
Wow, that is so true. This is her biggest trauma? Must be nice. Like, date who you want. Most of us don’t care! Why would I care who you date?! I might say this though… She is acting a bit… Immature. Too soon?
It’s Zach Bragg who should be getting the heat for exploiting a 21-years-younger actress. He’s creepy. I’m 39 and I can’t imagine dating a twenty year old. It should not be normalized. With that said. Yes I think she’s being exploited. She should also know better. This is not uncommon for women.
I’m thinking the reason she keeps talking about it and feeling the need to defend herself to people she doesn’t even know…is because she knows deep down, it’s creepy. I used to really like Zach Braff. It’s a shame that he turned out to be a youth obsessed male cliche. I mean, she isn’t a child, but these middle age male celebrities feeling the need to date 20 somethings is just getting old, no pun intended. It makes them look desperate and emotionally stunted. There are plenty of non celebrity men that are exactly the same. It’s disappointing…lol
She’s far too concerned about what others think about her relationship. It does reek of insecurity in her choice.
But… she’s “still complaining” because was asked about it in a recent interview. Surely it’s her right to answer?
I’m exactly her age and I think this situation has revealed that she still has a lot of maturing to do. It just seems like if you were really secure in your relationship, you wouldn’t become so fixated on the opinions of naysayers you don’t even know.
I think she made an error when she talked about it in the first place. Then it made it legitimate for this podcaster to ask her about it, which makes it look like she’s talking about it the whole time. As others have said, shut off the comments and ignore people is the best way forward.
She’s right. The trend of criticising female celebrities for their dating choices, when it comes to age, is quite sinister. It’s a resurgence of old patterns of social control, with women being told what to do with their bodies and lives with a view to their own good (read paternalistic control). The usual justification given – that big gaps in age can signal unhealthy power relationships – is actually generally BS, in the absence of a definite red light in the form of some additional factor (like the paternal dynamic in the dodgy Woody Allen situation). The way in which this new form of social moralisation is becoming acceptable, and women like Pugh are being criticised for standing up for themselves, is really questionable.
Lmfao please. People call Zach gross as hell too, but no one actually cares about him anymore outside of Scrubs fans.
There isn’t an eye roll big enough.
Good grief. But great example of what happens trying to prove how woke you are and completely getting lost in your own repetition of whatever your professor said.
LOL. Own them libs, Queen. Mama knows best.❄
Yes my above statement could be applied to other commenters here as well… gotta grow up sometime, honey. Because woke is not what you are preachin’.
Also, stop trolling on me, we all see it.
Ha, that’s the typical hypocrisy of the anti-SJW on display.
Who is criticizing her?
I’m side eyeing Braff, who is the problem here and is also conspicuously much quieter about this. Which again, kinda shows the weird dynamics.
The more she talks about how mature and adult she is the more I think, “are you though…….?”
I don’t think anyone cares as much as she thinks they do. She seems really worked up about it for someone who doesn’t care what others think she should/shouldn’t do.
He’s so not-hot. If you want to waste your youth and beauty rubbing on that, go ahead. And also, shut up Florence. Most of us have real problems right now.
Come back to me when your prefrontal cortex has finished developing Florence. GROSS!
LOL!
She Is young and obviously feels insecure about this. I’m so glad that I was never a celebrity and didn’t have to justify my many disastrous choices to anyone but my friends and family!
She wants to label it as an age gap issue, and take that criticism as a slight against herself as being immature. I believe she’s taking that heat on herself out of love for him (though she’s also a feminist and eager to defend her right to date whomever she chooses.) She’s an outspoken, loyal person and I’m sure it hurt (both of them) to hear people say their relationship is weird or gross. This is all very trivial from the outside–the world is so screwed up, people are dying, so I agree, we shouldn’t care about her sex life–but to Florence, this is her partner, the person she’s been quarantined with. Of course her relationship is a big deal to her and it’s probably hard to keep her mouth shut when asked about it in interviews.
What she’s avoiding saying is that a lot of people just don’t like Zach Braff, period, and think she’s too good for him. She’s more talented, more attractive and younger. His popular phase came and went. He’s literally old enough to be her father, but worse, he resembles her father strongly. There is always going to be a little bit of snickering around their relationship because of him, not her.
THIS 100%. Even putting aside her young age, this is a serious relationship if they’ve been together since 2018. It is normal to feel protective of the people you love, as well as having “love goggles” which will blind you to anything.
Most of the comments are critical of him, rather than her – she has her whole life ahead of her, teetering on the edge of becoming a critical darling and could become an A Lister by her 30s if she makes the right choices. Zach Braff… Will always be that annoying dude from that sitcom.
However love is blind, and when you see your partner getting trashed by people who claim to be your fans, it must feel patronising and it must be difficult to feel anything other than protective and defensive.
IMO (tho no one is asking), I think they are a mismatched couple even excluding the age difference. I also share the sentiment she is too good for him. But I don’t judge her being upset that most people feel that way.
Is she digging her heels in? For someone like Braff?? Is he secretly hot in person?
Stan your man…I guess. I hope it’s a love story for the ages. Not the 20 year gap in their ages, but you get what I mean.
Is this just codependent? Needing others, strangers even, to approve of your relationship?
Oh for the love of God, with all the sh*t going down in the US and across the globe she’s still whinging about the negative May-December relationship attention she’s garnering? As the inimitable Joan Rivers used to say…”Oh grow up!”
That young kid will realize sooner than later that middle aged men already peaked, unlike women. Either way nothing its permanent, including erections bwahahaha
Is she still being attacked? Then let her speak out about it. If she’s going on about it without provocation, then that’s a little whiny.
If she didn’t mind the age gap she wouldn’t mind the criticism that much. Maybe subconsciously she knows that something’s wrong with him for getting with extremely young girls. The problem is not even the age gap. The problem is an old dude preying on young girls.
It’s gross. If I were her Mom it would make me sad, but I’m not, so I don’t care. Stop talking about it FP, unless you thrive on the attention…