In a recent interview with The Times, the We Live in Time star reflected on her experience as a woman in the entertainment industry, describing it as "exhausting."
"There are fine lines women have to stay within; otherwise, they are called a diva, demanding, problematic," Pugh explained.
"I don’t want to fit into stereotypes made by others. It is really exhausting for a young woman to just be in this industry, and actually other industries. But I’ve always been encouraged to have a voice."
Pugh, who has been in the industry for over a decade, shared how headlines about actresses like Keira Knightley shaped her understanding of the harsh scrutiny women endure. "I remember godawful headlines about how Keira Knightley isn’t thin anymore, or watching women getting torn apart despite being talented and beautiful. The only thing people want to talk about is some useless crap about how they look," she said.
Throughout her career, Pugh has been vocal about redefining beauty standards and resisting judgment.
"I just wanted to be there, to make space for a version of a person that isn’t all the things they used to have to be," she said.
From wearing bold, see-through dresses on the red carpet to chopping her hair, Pugh has refused to conform to traditional expectations.
"I’m proud I’ve stuck by myself and look the way I look. I’m really interested in people who are still angry with me for not losing more weight or who just hate my nose ring," she stated.
Pugh believes her willingness to address these issues can help the next generation of women entering Hollywood.
"I’m not going to be able to change the way things are, but I can certainly help young women by making conversations happen where they weren’t before."
The actress has consistently been candid about body image and her confidence. Speaking to Elle U.K. last year, she said, "I speak the way I do about my body because I’m not trying to hide the cellulite on my thigh or the squidge in between my arm and my boob: I would much rather lay it all out."
Pugh also addressed the backlash she received after wearing a sheer Valentino dress that revealed her nipples.
"It really wound people up. It’s the freedom that people are scared of; the fact I’m comfortable and happy."
Most recently, Pugh starred in We Live in Time alongside Andrew Garfield. She is set to appear in Marvel’s Thunderbolts and will lead Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden.
