Florence Pugh, 24, addresses criticism of relationship with Zach Braff, 45: 'I have the right to go out with anyone I want!'
Florence Pugh has hit back at critics of her age-gap relationship with Zach Braff, who is more than 20 years her senior.
The 24-year-old Little Women star has largely kept her relationship with the Scrubs actor, 45, out of the public eye, but says she has been shocked by some of the responses she’s received.
In a new interview with Elle magazine, the actor has addressed the criticism, saying that strangers on social media “have no right” to comment on her private life.
“I have the right to hang out and be with and go out with anyone I want to,” she told the publication.
“I’ve always found this part of what people do really bizarre. I’m an actor because I like acting and I don’t mind people watching my stuff, but people have no right to educate me on my private life.”
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She went on to say that she finds it odd that people feel they are entitled to comment on a subject she isn’t “putting out there.”
“I know that part of being in the spotlight is that people might invade your privacy and have opinions on it, but it’s bizarre that normal folk are allowed to display such hate and opinions on a part of my life that I’m not putting out there,” she explained.
“It’s a strange side of fame that you’re allowed to be torn apart by thousands of people even though you didn’t put that piece of you out there.
“My point to all this is that isn’t it odd that a stranger can totally tear apart someone’s relationship and it’s allowed?”
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The British star is reported to be on lockdown with Zach in Los Angeles due to the coronavirus pandemic, and when sharing a photo of him to celebrate his birthday, she specifically disabled comments on the post.
In the same Elle interview the rising star said she has learnt a lot about herself while in quarantine.
She said: “I was so surprised by how unkind I am to myself! Living in lockdown I found there’s no point or energy in being annoyed at yourself for not reading that book, writing that song or working out that day.”
So the actor is trying to find pleasure in the little things.
“I’m teaching myself to find joy as much as I can and ease in these open long days.
“Cooking has been my saviour! When the world lockdown started and it obviously got serious very quickly, I found myself desperate to chop. Feed. Eat. Repeat!”
When detailing what she’s looking forward to most about life post-lockdown And what’s she daydreaming about?
She responded by saying she couldn’t wait to be walking through Soho or East London with her girlfriends, sun out and an M&S canned cocktail in hand.
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Pugh is quite the woman-of-the-moment right now thanks in large to her Oscar-nominated role as Amy March in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 version of Little Women.
As well as her acting, the Oxford-born actress is clocking up just as many sartorial credentials in everything from Prada, Jimmy Choo, to Chloe, Miu Miu and Valentino.
Florence’s full interview is in the new issue of Elle UK, on sale now.
