Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve Have 1 Thing in Common When It Comes To Offering Florence Pugh a Role in Their Films
Florence Pugh is a 28-year-old budding actress whose acting caliber and portfolio would put many industry veterans to shame. She debuted with the drama film The Falling and rose to meteoric heights with the A24 horror film Midsommer. She has done admirable work in movies such as Little Women, Don’t Worry Darling, Black Widow, and Oppenheimer.
Directors already understand the gravitas Florence Pugh brings to a role and a movie. She has earned the respect of some of the biggest directors in Hollywood, like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve, both of whom have one thing in common when it comes to offering her a role in their films.
Christopher Nolan And Denis Villeneuve Both Famously Did This When It Came To Offering Florence Pugh A Role In Their Film
Florence Pugh is a force to be reckoned with and she has great potential. Although she has been in the landscape of Hollywood for comparatively less time than her peers, she has managed to wow the critics and the audience at the same time.
Florence Pugh played the role of Jean Tatlok in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and it is no secret that she will be playing the role of Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Two. According to sources, both of these brilliant minds profusely apologized to Pugh because they thought the role they were offering fell short of Pugh’s talents. According to Florence Pugh, Cristopher Nolan apologized for the size of the role in Oppenheimer (via. Johnny Sobczak on X)
“I remember he apologized about the size of the role, and I was like, ‘Please don’t apologize.’ And then he said, ‘We’ll send you the script, and honestly, you just read it and you decide if it’s, I completely understand the sizing thing.’ And I remember that evening, when I got the script, being like, ‘I know I’m going to do it.’”
Pugh was so supportive of Christopher Nolan that she was ready to play a coffee maker in the back room without knowing too much about the project.
“I didn’t really know what was going on or what it was that was being made. Except I knew that Chris really, really, wanted me to know that it wasn’t a very big role and he understands if I don’t want to come near it. And I was like, ‘Doesn’t matter. Even if I’m a coffee maker at a cafe in the back of the room, let’s do it.’”
Something similar happened with Denis Villeneuve and his project Dune: Part Two, where she is playing Princess Irulan. Although the character will have much less screen time, she is a pretty significant part of the story. Irulan’s character is the narrator of the story and in the books, every chapter is prefaced by Princess Irulan’s entry. Florence Pugh took on this role like a champ and was happy to bring Villeneuve’s vision into reality, as she told MTV UK. (via. IndieWire)
“It didn’t matter how big my role was… When I chatted to Denis, he kept apologizing and saying ‘In this one, it’s really not a big part. I won’t be offended [if you say no].’ I was like ‘I don’t care! I just want to come and watch you work. This is a dream.’”
It is safe to say Pugh is a trooper when it comes to championing great works by brilliant minds. Neither of them had to ask her twice for her to recognize the brilliance and agree to work on a role that, although small, is impactful.
Florence Pugh Recalls The Camera Being Broken During The Nude Scene With Cillian Murphy In Oppenheimer
During an Oppenheimer panel that had Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, and Florence Pugh and featured Jamie Dornan as the moderator, Pugh recalled how they faced some technical difficulties while shooting the s*x scene between Jean Tatlok and Oppenheimer’s characters. (via. Variety)
“In the middle of our s*x scene, the camera broke. No one knows this, but it did. Our camera broke when we were both n*ked, and it was not ideal timing. Cillian and I are in this room together. It’s a closed set, so we’re both holding our bodies like this… I’m like, well, this is my moment to learn. ‘So tell me, what’s wrong with this camera?’ You just make your moments. I’m like, ‘What’s going on with the shutter here, buddy?’”
Pugh said Nolan then explained that there was an issue with how the light was being caught in the camera. Florence Pugh ultimately heaped praise on the entire cast and crew on the panel, calling them the most knowledgeable and brilliant people she has worked with.
Oppenheimer is available to rent on Prime Video.
