Why Florence Pugh doesn’t want to be the next Kate Winslet
There are few hotter commodities in the acting world right now than Florence Pugh. She has shown what she can do as a folk horror hero in Midsommar, shown her drama skills in Little Women and We Live in Time and mastered the art of the superhero as Yelena in Black Widow, so there’s very little she can’t do.
With so many projects in the works and national treasure status being banded around, it’s no wonder there’s so much attention when Pugh does anything, goes anywhere or even has a haircut. She also announced the much-awaited return of her Cooking with Flo series, which fans loved on her Instagram until it ended abruptly, which was potentially linked to her break-up with director Zach Braff. Pugh released a special YouTube episode raising money and awareness for the charity Race Against Dementia, perpetuating her nation’s sweetheart position further.
Actors on their way up have always been compared to icons, with many being dubbed the ‘next’ Jane Fonda or Hugh Grant, and Pugh is clearly not immune from being compared to some of the greats. Soon after her debut in late 2017, Pugh was labelled by many as the next Kate Winslet, an honour to any actor, but Pugh wasn’t convinced of the concept.
Pugh told The Guardian: “The Kate Winslet thing has been a shocker […] I was like: that is the most ridiculous claim. Amazing, obviously. She’s been my idol since I re-enacted Titanic and fell in love with Leo.” She’s not so different to us after all.
She continued: “And it’s a privilege to be called the next anything. But I suppose to be the next you is all you can do. If I can make my mark just a little bit, then great.” In her very characteristic, tactful way, Pugh speaks to a larger topic at hand, that of individuality in such a huge industry and perhaps the pressure to live up to these icons that young actors are often compared to.
Actors always used to be purely about their films—they weren’t necessarily openly politically outspoken, nor did they welcome attention to their private lives in any way. This would all be a contentious topic—as was the case with the likes of Bette Davis. Pugh, on the other hand, is not afraid to speak out on what she believes in, and not least with Cooking with Flo, she welcomes fans into her home, life, and mind.
This is not to say Kate Winslet isn’t all of these things, but Pugh represents a new kind of Hollywood star, one that can only have been on the up right now. Of course, Winslet is still very active in her career and is particularly outspoken herself, but Pugh seems to be her very own person, though perhaps with some resemblance to and the same talent as Winslet and a twinkle in her eye.
