Her professional acting career may be less than a decade old, but Florence Pugh has cemented herself as one of the most masterful actresses of her generation. At just 26 years old, the British actress packs an impressive roster of films into her growing catalogue. She has played a variety of characters, in many different film genres, receiving positive reviews along the way. From horror to action and historical dramas, Pugh’s talent knows no bounds.
Her latest feature entry, Don’t Worry Darling is set to be released on Sept. 23rd, and while the critical response has been mixed, Pugh’s performance is being widely praised. Her 2023 releases are also stacked, with roles in the highly-anticipated Oppenheimer, Dune: Part Two, and the drama A Good Person.
Here are our favorite movies featuring the talented Florence Pugh, ranked from worst to best — a list that’s only going to get better as the actress’ filmography continues to expand.
10. The Commuter (2018)
The Commuter is an action thriller directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Liam Neeson. Neeson plays an ex-cop-turned-insurance agent who is unexpectedly laid off from his job. He meets a mysterious woman on his train commute home and inadvertently gets pulled into a murder conspiracy. Pugh plays a troubled young woman named Gwen who is also on the train. Though she only has a few lines, they are expertly delivered and convincing, cementing Pugh as one of the standout members of the talented ensemble cast.
9. Malevolent (2018)
Malevolent is a Netflix horror film that is set in 1986 Scotland. Siblings Angela and Jackson — played by Pugh and Ben Lloyd-Hughes — run a scam paranormal business that targets unsuspecting folk who believe their houses to be haunted. However, the pair find that things are not as smooth as they expect when their latest client is indeed experiencing legitimate strange activities. While one of the lesser-known films in her filmography, Pugh was commended for delivering a great horror performance.
8. King Lear (2018)
This modern retelling of Shakespeare’s famous play stars Anthony Hopkins in the titular role, with Pugh taking on the role of Cordelia, his youngest daughter. Lear announces one evening that he will be dividing his kingdom among his three daughters if they openly declare their loyalty and love for their father. While her two elder sisters easily comply, Cordelia refuses, causing her father to cut her off and banish her. Pugh delivers an acclaimed performance as the strong and willful Cordelia, successfully capturing the complexities of her relationship with Lear and her sisters.
7. Outlaw King (2018)
A gripping historical action drama, Outlaw King tells the story of Robert the Bruce, the Scottish king who revolted against King Edward I of England. Pugh stars alongside Chris Pine as Elizabeth de Burgh, King Edward’s goddaughter who was forced into an arranged marriage with Robert. Pugh masters the art of immersion in this role, expertly portraying Elizabeth as a fiery consort to the king who remains steadfast, despite the atrocities she experiences during the war.
6. The Falling (2014)
In her feature film debut, Pugh stars alongside Maisie Williams as students Abbie and Lydia in a mystery drama set at an all-girls school. A strange fainting sickness befalls all the inhabitants of the school, leading to Abbie’s death. The movie focuses on Lydia dealing with the death of her friend while managing her fraught relationship with her reclusive mother. Pugh’s debut marked the beginning of many worthwhile performances and the actress received considerable praise as the unsettling Lydia, and the film received positive reviews.
5. Black Widow (2021)
Pugh stars alongside Marvel alum Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow’s adopted sister, Yelena Belova in this superhero movie. The duo team up with their adoptive parents in this spy action thriller to take down the Red Room, a Russian training facility that turns young orphan girls into deadly assassins. While Black Widow had its fair share of critiques, the general response was positive, and Pugh’s MCU debut was met with praise from fans and critics. The actress was noted for her blend of comedy and emotion as the skilled assassin.
4. Lady Macbeth (2016)
Lady Macbeth was the film that effectively put Pugh on the map as one of Britain’s strongest exports. In her first role as a leading lady, she stars as Katherine Lester in this adaptation of Nikolai Leskov’s 1865 novella. Katherine is in a loveless marriage to Alexander, a man twice her age, and lives at his family estate with his father Boris, both of whom maltreat her. When she begins an affair with Sebastian, a groundskeeper at the estate, she goes to alarming lengths to keep both her secrets and her happiness. Pugh might have starred as the mysterious and murderous Katherine, but her magnificent and charismatic performance rendered her a character worth rooting for.
3. Fighting with my Family (2019)
Florence Pugh and Jack Lowden play real-life wrestling siblings Paige and Zodiac, who want to follow in their parent’s footsteps as professional wrestlers. Paige manages to secure a spot in the NXT training program but Zodiac doesn’t, which leaves the upcoming wrestler struggling to fit in with the other women who she outclasses. She tries to find a balance between being herself, and putting on a show as a WWE wrestler, all while rising up the ranks and forging her own path away from her family. The biographical sports comedy was praised for its fun and mature tone, and Pugh was hailed for her raw and insightful portrayal of Paige.
2. Midsommar (2019)
The pastel horror of Ari Aster’s Midsommar is one that will remain in the minds of audiences for years to come. The movie centers on Dani, a young woman who is traumatized by the gruesome death of her sister and parents. She and her boyfriend take a trip to Sweden for a midsummer festival and find themselves caught in the harrowing rituals of a pagan cult. Midsommar marked Pugh’s international breakthrough performance, and remains one of her most memorable films to date, as well as one of the finest horror offerings of the 2010s.
1. Little Women (2019)
The seventh film adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott ranks in the top spot on our list. The movie stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Eliza Scanlen as the iconic March sisters, with Greta Gerwig as the scriptwriter and director. The story centers on the four sisters, primarily Jo, as they navigate life and love in the 19th century. It was critically acclaimed and is beloved by audiences, with Pugh giving a standout performance as Amy March, the youngest sister who fans had previously loved to hate. Pugh offers a very realistic performance as Amy, hailed by many as her finest acting performance so far, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Published: Sep 7, 2022 11:35 am