Twentysomethings are figuring out their career dreams, trying to be more financially responsible, going on bad dates (or finding The One… there is no in-between), and maybe learning to cook at least one decent dinner. Florence Pugh has spent her 20s giving more than a few incredible performances, and she still hasn’t even blown out the candles on her 30th birthday cake yet!
That’s right, the talented (and that’s an understatement) actress is celebrating her 29th birthday this Jan. 3, 2025. And, considering all that she has accomplished, it’s hard to believe that she hasn’t reached her 30s.
Pugh spent her 20s starring in a Little Women remake, the beloved Dune sequel, the devastating romantic drama We Live In Time, the visually arresting horror film Midsommar, and, of course, starring in a Marvel movie, a Marvel TV show, and filming an exciting upcoming Marvel movie. She made her film debut in the 2014 drama The Falling alongside Maisie Williams when she was 17 years old, and in the past few years, her career has really taken off.
But what makes Pugh’s age even more unbelievable? Her clever, mature approach to life. She is the definition of someone who is wise beyond their years. One example of this? The way she talks about We Live In Time, her movie in which she stars alongside Andrew Garfield. In an interview with Elle Canada, she said that she liked her character Almut because “she represented every single woman that I know” because Almut is “driven” and “successful” and “wants to make something for herself.” Pugh added that she “was so excited to see on the page, the actual conflict of being a woman, having a career and the calling to motherhood.” She praised the movie for showing the tension Almut feels between following her dreams of being a chef and having a child.
Hearing that, it would be easy to assume Pugh is in her mid-to-late 30s or even 40s, but she’s only 29! Your 20s are such a busy and exhilarating time that it can be hard to think about starting a family and all the complications it brings. Almut’s journey isn’t simple, and Pugh perfectly expressed in this interview that no one walks down the path to parenthood without any bumps along the way. Movies often depict harried moms who can’t get a free moment to themselves or picture-perfect parents who bake cupcakes from scratch and never melt down. The truth is somewhere in the middle, and Pugh’s portrayal of Almut adds something important to the conversation.
Pugh has said she won’t lose weight and fights the ridiculous pressures of Hollywood, which is another reason why her young age is so surprising. She has learned lessons that take decades to figure out. She also appreciates all the experiences she had that brought her to where she is today, including three years spent in Spain when she was little, which she recounted briefly in an interview with The Guardian.
More than a few child stars are forced by their parents to get acting job after acting job and earn money (which always works out so well). In contrast, Pugh went to private school while pursuing her acting dreams. She said her schools weren’t supportive and told The Guardian, “I was told it wasn’t going to work, which was shocking to me.”
Pugh’s career trajectory is inspiring, as she’s an actress who is as intelligent, compelling, and layered as the characters she plays. That kind of star deserves to have the best birthday ever… and I can’t wait to see what she accomplishes when she does turn 30.
Published: Jan 3, 2025 12:46 pm