#Florence Pugh Says People in Indie Film Community Were “Really Pissed Off” When She Joined the MCU

Although many would look at joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a huge career achievement, Florence Pugh said not everyone thought the same when she landed her role.

During an interview with Time magazine, published online Tuesday, the actress, who joined the MCU as Yelena Belova with 2021’s Black Widow, said some people in the independent film community were “really pissed off.”

“They were like, ‘Great, now she’s gone forever,’” she explained. “And I’m like, ‘No, I’m working as hard as I used to work. I’ve always done back-to-back movies. It’s just people are watching them now. You just have to be a bit more organized with your schedule.’”

Pugh also made an appearance in the Disney+ show Hawkeye. But before Marvel, she made her name in Hollywood with several indie films, including Midsommar and Lady Macbeth, and continues to work on them, like her more recent projects The Wonder and A Good Person.

During a previous interview in March, she also recalled people in the industry telling her, “I was never going to go back to small movies again.” But Pugh said she believes “there’s beauty in all types of those films.”

After nearly a decade in the industry, Pugh continues to find balance with the projects she takes on. But no matter what it is, the actress told Time that she can also get a sense of a film’s success while working on set. She didn’t share the project’s name but noted that she has “definitely” seen a movie fall apart before.

“A whole film set, it’s everybody making a huge effort because they want to be there,” the Don’t Worry Darling star said. “And if someone doesn’t want to be there or if someone isn’t pulling their weight, you can feel it. The film feels wrong.”

As for what’s next, Pugh said she hopes her future includes some time singing on stage, especially after writing and performing music in A Good Person.