Inside Florence Pugh's Relationship History
In 2014, a teenage Florence Pugh made her acting debut in a mystery flick titled "Falling." Since then, the British-born Pugh has climbed up the Hollywood ladder to become one of the industry's most respected young actors. "It's rare that you find someone at that age who is so comfortable in her own skin. There's no fear or vanity; it doesn't matter what you throw at her," Shaheen Baig, who directed "Falling," told The New York Times of the actor. But while Pugh's impeccable talents have been praised by many, the actor almost gave up her acting dreams. "I had two teachers that heavily suggested I shouldn't, 'cos I was definitely going to fail to be an actor. And at this point, I'd been in every play, every school competition, every talent show. The only thing that I was good at this school was the thing I'd just been given this opportunity for," she told Vogue Australia in October 2023.
Given her meteoric success in Hollywood, it is no secret that Pugh's personal life, and most specifically her love life, has piqued fans' interest. Over the years, the "Oppenheimer" star has been linked to a number of men, ranging from actors to photographers. From a years-long relationship with Zach Braff to a rumored fling with Harry Styles, here's a look at Florence Pugh's interesting relationship history.
Florence Pugh was in a long-term relationship with Zach Braff
In April 2019, Florence Pugh and Zach Braff sparked relationship rumors after being spotted holding hands during an afternoon stroll in New York. By December 2019 Pugh seemingly confirmed the romance after clapping back at a social media user who criticized the couple's 21-year age gap. In the following months, the couple continued giving fans a glimpse into their love with Pugh penning a sweet tribute to Braff's 45th birthday in April 2020. "Today we shall smile wider than the clouds are grey. April 6th and we're celebrating hard! Happy Birthday wishes, boogies, and cheers for this special person. Raise those bubbles and jiggle!" she wrote in an Instagram post.
Despite constant scrutiny over their wide age gap, Braff and Pugh continued defending their love for each other. "I am 24 years old. I do not need you to tell me who I should and should not love and I would never in my life tell anyone who they can and cannot love. It is not your place," Pugh declared in a video shared on Instagram. Sadly, this love story was simply not meant to last forever.
In August 2022, the "Don't You Worry Darling" actor confirmed her breakup from Braff, noting they jointly decided to keep it quiet. "We've been trying to do this separation without the world knowing because it's been a relationship that everybody has an opinion on," she admitted in a cover story for Harper's Bazaar. Despite their split, however, the former lovers remain friendly.
She denied dating Will Poulter
In May 2022, Florence Pugh and her "Midsommar" co-star Will Poulter faced dating rumors after they were spotted on a group vacation to Ibiza. Some pictures shared by the Daily Mail showed them grabbing a drink on the beach, while another showed Pugh applying sunscreen on Poulter's back, leading many to believe a romance was brewing. "The Florence Pugh and Will Poulter romance shall henceforth be referred to as PuPou," one fan quipped on X (formerly known as Twitter). "If they officially get together, they'll be another top-tier couple like Zendaya and Tom Holland," another user tweeted.
However, Pugh wasn't having it, and she soon took to social media to explain that her relationship with Poulter was completely platonic. "No, Will Poulter and I are not dating. We went to the beach with our friends, who are always about half a metre away from us in every picture but have been cleverly cut out/ framed out so that it looks otherwise. You can LITERALLY see my best friend in the corner of so many shots and Archie's arms at the sides," the "Little Women" star wrote on Instagram Stories (via People).
Pugh further appealed to fans to stop spreading damaging rumors, noting it was unfair to all parties involved. "There's literally no need to be horrible online– no need. Think about what you write. Think about who it affects," she added.
She was previously linked to Charlie Gooch
In December 2022, a few months after her split from Zach Braff, Florence Pugh was spotted attending a party with photographer Charlie Gooch, with whom she'd previously worked. According to the Daily Mail, Gooch was seen walking Pugh to her car after joining her to party at the British Fashion Awards. By February 2023, things had seemingly taken a romantic turn between the two as they were seen sporting matching rings and holding hands on Valentine's Day.
Though they never publicly confirmed their relationship, per The Sun, the couple reportedly dated for a year during which Pugh introduced Gooch to her family. Sadly, the romance fizzled out just as quickly as it started. "Florence and Charlie had known each other for years and things turned romantic at the end of last year. But it hasn't lasted. Florence's schedule is so busy and there were other factors at play. She eventually ended it over the summer," a source told The Sun. The insider added that Pugh wasn't too cut up over the split and that she was possibly even open to giving things another go.
Florence Pugh allegedly had a fling with Harry Styles
While filming 2022's, "Don't Worry Darling," Florence Pugh reportedly had a fling with Harry Styles who played her on-screen husband, Jack Chambers in the psychological thriller. "Harry and Florence had chemistry from the off, which translated incredibly well on-screen," a source told The Mirror. This chemistry, it appears would eventually translate to a kiss between the two co-stars. "One night they had a bit of a snog, all very light-hearted and a bit of fun, and that was that. It was being gossiped about by a couple of members of production, otherwise, no one would have known," the insider added.
Though neither Pugh nor Styles acknowledged the rumors, the source clarified that both actors were singles at the time of their alleged fling. "Harry was very much single at the time and Florence had separated from Zach Braff, although she'd kept the split quiet to — ironically — avoid headlines. There was no cheating or misbehavior from anyone," the source told The Sun.
Things between Pugh and Styles eventually fizzled out after the former One Direction star was linked to director Oliva Wilde. Understandably, Pugh was not too pleased with the pair's romance. "There was already tension between the two women and this undoubtedly fanned the flames," an insider said of Pugh's alleged feud with Wilde.