The Oscar-nominated actor took to Instagram to shut down haters' unsolicited opinions about a sheer Valentino dress she wore. Photo: Florence Pugh/Instagram
Don't worry about Florence Pugh's breasts, darling.
The Oscar-nominated actor took to Instagram Sunday (July 10) to shut down haters' unsolicited opinions about a sheer Valentino dress she wore proudly to the Valentino Haute Couture fashion show over the weekend in Rome.
In a powerful post, Pugh shared photos of herself modelling the frilly fuchsia gown, which exposed her nipples, and declared she didn't have a "wink" of anxiety about wearing it before, during or after the event.
"Listen, I knew when I wore that incredible Valentino dress that there was no way there wouldn't be a commentary on it. Whether it be negative or positive, we all knew what we were doing," the Don't Worry Darling star wrote.
"What's been interesting to watch and witness is just how easy it is for men to totally destroy a woman's body, publicly, proudly, for everyone to see. You even do it with your job titles and work emails in your bio...?"
Since emerging as one of Hollywood's brightest new stars, Pugh has never been one to back down from online scrutiny.
In May, the 26-year-old performer called the media out for spreading false dating rumors about her and her Midsommar co-star Will Poulter. She has also publicly dismissed criticism of her relationship with 47-year-old Scrubs actor Zach Braff.
"It isn't the first time and certainly won't be the last time a woman will hear what's wrong with her body by a crowd of strangers, what's worrying is just how vulgar some of you men can be," she continued in Sunday's statement.
"Thankfully, I've come to terms with the intricacies of my body that make me me. I'm happy with all of the 'flaws' that I couldn't bear to look at when I was 14.
"So many of you wanted to aggressively let me know how disappointed you were by my 'tiny t—,' or how I should be embarrassed by being so 'flat chested'. I've lived in my body for a long time. I'm fully aware of my breast size and am not scared of it."
Florence Pugh attends the 92nd Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland on Feb. 9, 2020 in Hollywood, California. Photo: TNS
Toward the end of her caption, Pugh explained that it's always been her "mission in this industry to say '(expletive) it and (expletive) that' " when pressured to "to morph into an opinion of what's hot or sexually attractive."
She punctuated the defiant message with an equally defiant hashtag: #freethef—nipple.
"It makes me wonder what happened to you to be so content on being so loudly upset by the size of my boobs and body," she wrote.
"I'm very grateful that I grew up in a household with very strong, powerful, curvy women. We were raised to find power in the creases of our body. To be loud about being comfortable.
"I wore that dress because I know. If being loudly abusive towards women publicly in 2022 is so easy for you, then the answer is that it is you who doesn't know. Grow up. Respect people. Respect bodies. Respect all women. Respect humans.
Life will get a whole lot easier, I promise. And all because of two cute little nipples...." – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
