Florence Pugh Details Six-Month Depression Following ‘Midsommar’ Role
Florence Pugh revealed today that she experienced six months of depression after filming the 2019 horror film Midsommar, due to the intense emotional demands of portraying a character grappling with profound grief.
During an appearance on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Pugh described the experience as “horribly real,” explaining she deeply immersed herself in the character of Dani, who endures tragic family trauma. “The character is in such a horrible state in her life and she’s constantly on the brink of a panic attack,” Pugh said, adding that she had “never, ever been through anything close to that.” She detailed progressively visualizing increasingly devastating scenarios – initially imagining a sibling’s death, then visualizing coffins, and finally, attending her family’s funeral – to fully embody Dani’s emotional state.
Pugh stated she essentially “abused” and “manipulated” her own emotions to achieve the performance, and immediately following the Budapest shoot, she began weeping on a flight to Boston to begin work on Little Women, feeling she had abandoned Dani to cope with her trauma alone. “My brain was obviously feeling sympathy for myself, because I’d abused myself and really manipulated my own emotions to get a performance,” she explained. This dedication to method acting has become a talking point, as Pugh previously described director Ari Aster’s unusual approach to preparation, including “therapy sessions” with co-star Jack Reynor while in character, in a 2023 interview with the New York Times.
Pugh’s performance in Midsommar has been widely lauded as a powerful depiction of grief, and the film itself is considered a landmark in psychological horror. The actress indicated she is now more cautious about taking on roles that require such extreme emotional investment, prioritizing her mental wellbeing going forward.
Pugh is currently working on several upcoming projects, and representatives have not commented on whether this experience will influence her future role selections.
