Florence Pugh is opening up about the emotional challenges she faced while filming the critically acclaimed horror film Midsommar and the lessons she learned about protecting her mental health. The 29-year-old actress, who earned widespread recognition for her portrayal of Dani, a grieving woman caught in a Swedish cult, says the intense experience of making the 2019 film pushed her to dark emotional places that left lasting effects.
On a recent episode of the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, Pugh discussed the personal toll the role took on her and how she has learned to establish boundaries in her career to safeguard her wellbeing.
“How have you learned to look after yourself and your mental wellbeing [while working]?” podcast host Josh Smith asked Pugh, who responded candidly, “Gosh, that’s a good question — I’m still figuring it out.”
Pugh, known for her roles in films like Little Women and Black Widow, reflected on her process of diving deep into her characters. “I don’t think I’d be able to do this without going there all the way and putting myself in all of those characters that I’ve played,” she explained. “There’s always a piece of me.”
She continued, explaining how she tends to defend her characters, even after filming has wrapped. “There’s always a moment at the end of filming where I, like, protect and defend those characters until the very end, even if they’ve done god-awful things. I think that’s only natural when you’re in someone for so long,” she said.
However, Pugh acknowledged the importance of drawing a line between her professional and personal life, something she had to learn over time. She admitted that there have been moments when she gave too much to a role, leaving herself emotionally drained.
“There have been some roles where I’ve given too much and I’ve been broken for a long while afterward,” Pugh said. “Like when I did Midsommar, I definitely felt like I abused myself in the places that I got myself to go.”
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In Midsommar, Pugh’s character Dani goes through unimaginable grief and trauma, which sets the stage for her journey with a cult. The role demanded that Pugh explore deep emotional pain and vulnerability, which she says left her feeling “broken” for a while after filming. However, despite the emotional cost, Pugh does not regret the experience.
“The nature of figuring these things out is you need to go, ‘Alright, well, I can’t do that again ’cause that was too much,’” she said. “But then I look at that performance and I’m really proud of what I did, and I’m proud of what came out of me. I don’t regret it.”
Pugh’s reflection on Midsommar echoes what she shared in March 2023, when she discussed the toll the role took on her during an appearance on the Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster podcast. At that time, she spoke about the challenge of playing a character in so much pain and the lengths she went to in order to portray Dani’s suffering authentically.
“I’d never played someone that was in that much pain before, and I’d put myself in really s— situations that maybe other actors don’t need to do,” Pugh said. “Each day the content would be getting more weird and harder to do. I was putting things in my head that were just getting worse and more bleak.”
Looking back, Pugh acknowledged that in order to give an authentic performance, she had “abused” herself emotionally. “I think by the end I had probably, most definitely abused my own self in order to get that performance,” she admitted.
Despite the intense emotional challenges of Midsommar, Pugh believes the role helped her grow as an actress, even as it taught her valuable lessons about self-care. “There’s definitely things that you have to respect about yourself,” she said, noting that she now takes better care of her mental health while still pushing herself creatively.
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Pugh’s Continued Success and New Projects
Since Midsommar, Florence Pugh has continued to thrive in Hollywood, with notable performances in films such as Little Women (for which she received an Oscar nomination), Black Widow, and Don’t Worry Darling. She has also been praised for her recent performance in We Live in Time, which is currently available on demand.
Pugh’s willingness to take on complex and emotionally demanding roles has made her one of the most sought-after actresses of her generation. However, she is now more mindful of the balance between her career and mental wellbeing.
“Midsommar” is currently streaming on Max, and Pugh’s other recent projects are also drawing attention, proving that while the challenges of her past roles were significant, they have not deterred her from pursuing a diverse and fulfilling career in film.
Mental Health in Hollywood
Pugh’s reflections are part of a larger conversation about mental health in the entertainment industry, where actors often push themselves to emotional extremes for their craft. As the pressure on actors grows, many are speaking out about the need for boundaries and self-care to maintain their wellbeing both on and off screen. Pugh’s journey of self-discovery and her ability to reflect on her emotional boundaries offers valuable insight into the personal toll that intense performances can take—and how to grow through them.
As Pugh continues to evolve both personally and professionally, her candidness about the challenges she faces serves as a reminder of the importance of looking after oneself in an industry that often demands everything.
