Florence Pugh is drawing a line between acting and modeling, and honestly, she makes a solid point. In her new Who What Wear cover story, the Oppenheimer and Midsommar actress opened up about the unrealistic and often frustrating expectations that come with being a woman in Hollywood, especially when it comes to appearance.
Pugh got real about how baffling it is that actors are expected to double as runway-ready models, especially on red carpets. “It’s so s**t,” she said bluntly. “It’s not the same thing. It’s not the same thing at all.”
Reflecting on a conversation she had with a friend, she emphasized how absurd it is that red carpets are now considered a requirement for people whose actual job has nothing to do with modeling. “It’s just mental that red carpets are even an expectancy of someone that is not [a model],” she said. “That isn’t their job.”
Florence made it clear that she has deep respect for the craft of modeling — but she’s tired of being held to the same standards. “Models are good at being on a camera that is this close with that face, and they know how to show how raw their soul is on the flick of a switch. That’s their talent,” she said. “Their talent might go beyond that, but that’s not what they’re paid for. That’s not what they’re celebrated for.”
And yet, Pugh pointed out that actresses are constantly compared to runway models — even though what they do is completely different. When asked if modeling is similar to playing a role, she responded, “It’s pretty opposite.” For her, modeling is deeply exposing: “It is you being beautiful, which is like everybody’s inner hell.”
She also opened up about the emotional toll of public scrutiny. If a look doesn’t land well — whether it’s the fit, the styling, or just unsolicited body-shaming — she has to remind herself: This isn’t even what I’m here for. “If I experience disappointment about how something looked or how someone talked about it… if I was too heavy for the dress, or too this or that — or whatever s**t someone wanted to say to me — I have to be like, ‘Babe, this is not even why you’re… This is not your job.’”
Pugh also touched on the evolving — and often frustrating — industry standards, including how auditioning now sometimes hinges on how many followers you have on social media. “Actors can’t just be actors anymore,” she noted, highlighting how much has shifted.
Despite the pressure, Florence continues to blaze her own path. She recently appeared in Thunderbolts, the upcoming Marvel film alongside Sebastian Stan, Geraldine Viswanathan, Lewis Pullman, and more — proving that whether it’s indie horror or superhero blockbusters, she’s here to act, not walk a runway.
