The dangerous ‘Thunderbolts’ scene Florence Pugh demanded to shoot: “I was being a sassy Karen”
Many fans and film lovers are equally curious and cautious about the release of Thunderbolts, the latest Marvel venture that has captured everyone’s attention through their unique marketing tactics and self-described likeness to indie studio A24. However, the film has also attracted attention through the presence of Florence Pugh, who has continued to be one of Hollywood’s most sought-after movie stars, with the actor forging a new path for herself through her inclusion in the Marvel Universe.
The actor rose to fame through her performance in Lady Macbeth, experiencing a sudden escalation to fame after her role in Ari Aster’s Midsommar and Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women, playing the beloved and complicated role of Amy, the middle child who can’t seem to resist being the centre of attention.
However, Pugh’s arrival in the Marvel Universe reflects a new venture for the actor, with Pugh describing her character in the upcoming addition to the franchise and one hairy scene that defines the tonal shift of the latest film.
The Marvel Universe has undergone many changes over the years, with the studio attempting to revitalise old characters with modern twists and adaptations to lure in new audiences and those who return to it for nostalgic reasons. From the recent iterations of the character of Spider-Man, with the studio confirming the idea of the multiverse through the Tom Holland version of the story and the animated film Into the Spider-Verse, Marvel has made a huge effort to change with the times and keep audiences on their toes.
This is an approach they have also taken with their latest film, Thunderbolts, which is described as an A24-feeling indie film that strays from the typical formula associated with previous Marvel efforts. However, while some remain sceptical about this decision and the ethics around using the trademarks of independent filmmaking to sell a studio film, Pugh has been nothing but enthusiastic about her work in the film and portrayal of Black Widow. Perhaps some of this enthusiasm came from the fact that she was allowed to perform a highly dangerous stunt in the film, making her one of the first to attempt this particular feat on film.
In Thunderbolts, Black Widow is described as jumping from the top of the Merdeka 118 tower in Malaysia, with Pugh being determined to execute this stunt despite the concerns from Marvel studio heads.
Pugh explained how the producers wanted to cut this from the script, explaining how she managed to advocate for this choice by saying, “It was in the script, and then slowly as we got closer and closer to shooting, they were like, ‘Yeah, we don’t think it’s gonna happen, it’s just gonna be a crazy insurance ordeal, and obviously we’re not going to throw FP off the second-tallest building in the world’. I was like, ‘What the f**k, of course we are. We have to do that!’ So I was being a sassy Karen just emailing Kevin and being like, ‘Kevin, this is going to do wonders for the press tour, we have to do this!’”
Ultimately, Pugh got her way, with the actor describing the scene as, “…a whole different ballgame that was insane,” saying, “The mental control I had to do that day was like, that was its own super power.”
