Florence Pugh has quickly become one of the most exciting young actresses working today. From small British indie films to massive Hollywood blockbusters, she has proven she can handle just about any role thrown her way.
Her ability to bring raw emotion and depth to every character she plays keeps audiences coming back for more. Whether you are a longtime fan or just discovering her work, this list covers the roles that made Florence Pugh a household name.
1. The Falling (2014)
Before the world knew her name, Florence Pugh was quietly stealing scenes in this haunting British indie drama. She played Abigail, a schoolgirl caught up in a strange fainting epidemic that sweeps through her school.
The film has an eerie, dreamlike quality that makes it unforgettable.
Pugh was just a teenager when she filmed this, yet her performance felt remarkably mature. Watching it now, you can clearly spot the star power she was already carrying at such a young age.
2. Lady Macbeth (2016)
Lady Macbeth was the film that made critics sit up and pay close attention to Florence Pugh. She played Katherine, a young bride trapped in a loveless marriage who becomes shockingly ruthless to get what she wants.
The role required incredible emotional range, and Pugh delivered every bit of it.
Her performance won her the British Independent Film Award for Best Actress. Many fans and critics still consider this one of the boldest performances of her entire career so far.
3. King Lear (2018)
Sharing the screen with Anthony Hopkins is no small feat, but Florence Pugh held her own beautifully in this BBC television adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear. She portrayed Cordelia, the loyal and loving youngest daughter whose honesty ultimately costs her everything.
The role called for quiet strength, and Pugh brought exactly that.
This project showed audiences a more classical side of her acting range. It also proved she could thrive in prestige television alongside some of the biggest names in British acting history.
4. Outlaw King (2018)
Netflix brought the story of Robert the Bruce to life in Outlaw King, and Florence Pugh was right there alongside Chris Pine as Elizabeth de Burgh. Her character is strong, resilient, and deeply human, even in the chaos of a war-torn Scotland.
Pugh brought warmth and grit to a role that could have easily been overlooked.
The film gave her an early taste of big-budget international productions. Fans of historical dramas will find her performance one of the most compelling reasons to watch this action-packed story.
5. The Little Drummer Girl (2018)
Spy thrillers rarely feel this layered and personal, but The Little Drummer Girl pulled it off brilliantly. Florence Pugh starred as Charlie, an actress who gets recruited into a dangerous web of real espionage.
The miniseries was based on John le Carre’s acclaimed novel and produced by the BBC and AMC.
Pugh had to balance vulnerability with cunning in a role that shifted constantly. Critics praised her ability to keep Charlie believable and compelling across every twist the story threw at her.
6. Fighting with My Family (2019)
Few roles showcase Florence Pugh’s versatility quite like her turn as real-life WWE superstar Paige in this heartfelt sports comedy. She trained hard to nail the physicality of professional wrestling while also bringing genuine emotional depth to Paige’s journey from small-town girl to global star.
The result was a performance full of humor, heart, and hustle.
This was the film that introduced Pugh to mainstream international audiences in a big way. Dwayne Johnson produced it, and audiences everywhere responded with huge enthusiasm and affection.
7. Midsommar (2019)
Midsommar is the kind of horror film that burrows under your skin and stays there. Florence Pugh played Dani, a grieving graduate student who travels to a remote Swedish village for a midsummer festival that turns increasingly sinister.
Director Ari Aster crafted a film that is both beautiful and deeply disturbing.
Pugh’s emotional performance carried the entire movie. Her raw portrayal of grief and trauma earned widespread critical praise and remains one of the most talked-about horror performances in recent memory.
8. Little Women (2019)
Amy March has long been one of literature’s most misunderstood characters, and Florence Pugh completely changed how audiences see her. Director Greta Gerwig’s adaptation gave Amy real complexity, and Pugh ran with it, delivering a performance layered with ambition, longing, and sharp wit.
Her Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress was very well deserved.
Pugh made Amy someone you could root for rather than dismiss. That shift in perspective was one of the most refreshing surprises in this critically beloved and commercially successful film.
9. Black Widow (2021)
Joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a big deal for any actor, and Florence Pugh made her entrance count. As Yelena Belova, she brought sharp humor and genuine emotional weight to a character who could have been just a sidekick.
The film grossed an impressive $379 million globally at the box office.
Yelena quickly became a fan favorite thanks to Pugh’s magnetic screen presence. Her comedic timing and action chops worked perfectly together, setting her up as a major player in the MCU going forward.
10. Hawkeye (2021)
Yelena Belova came back with a vengeance in this Disney+ miniseries set during the Christmas season in New York City. Florence Pugh reprised her role alongside Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye, and their scenes together crackled with tension and unexpected comedy.
Fans who loved her in Black Widow were thrilled to see more of her here.
Her confrontation scenes were some of the most talked-about moments of the entire series. Pugh made Yelena feel fully realized, even in a story that was not entirely her own.
11. Don’t Worry Darling (2022)
On the surface, Don’t Worry Darling looks like a sun-soaked 1950s fantasy. Underneath, it is a tense sci-fi thriller about control, identity, and the cost of a perfect life.
Florence Pugh played Alice, a woman who begins to suspect that her idyllic community is hiding something deeply wrong.
Pugh anchored the film with a fierce and focused performance even as behind-the-scenes drama surrounded the production. Her dedication to the character gave audiences a gripping reason to stay engaged throughout the story’s many twists.
12. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Voice acting is a whole different skill set, and Florence Pugh absolutely nailed it as Goldilocks in this beloved animated sequel. Her Goldilocks is funny, scrappy, and surprisingly touching, fitting right into the film’s theme of found family and second chances.
Audiences of all ages completely fell in love with the character.
The film became one of Pugh’s highest-grossing releases and was praised as one of the best animated films in years. Her voice work added real personality and charm to a character who could have been forgettable.
13. The Wonder (2022)
Set in rural 1860s Ireland, The Wonder is a slow-burning drama that asks hard questions about faith, science, and human nature. Florence Pugh played Lib Wright, an English nurse sent to observe a young girl who supposedly has not eaten in months.
The film is quiet, tense, and morally complex in the best possible way.
Pugh carried nearly every scene with controlled intensity and quiet determination. Her performance grounded an unusual story in genuine emotional truth, making the film one of her most underrated and rewarding watches.
14. Oppenheimer (2023)
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer was one of the biggest films of 2023, earning nearly $975 million globally at the box office. Florence Pugh appeared as Jean Tatlock, a complex and passionate woman whose relationship with J.
Robert Oppenheimer left a lasting mark on his life. Her scenes were brief but absolutely unforgettable.
Pugh brought a fierce emotional intelligence to Jean that made every moment she was on screen feel significant. Sharing the screen with Cillian Murphy, she more than held her ground in a stacked ensemble cast.
15. Dune: Part Two (2024)
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two brought Florence Pugh into one of science fiction’s most beloved universes. She played Princess Irulan, a sharp and politically savvy royal navigating a galaxy on the brink of war.
The role suited her perfectly, blending elegance with underlying tension in every single scene she appeared in.
Joining a cast that included Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, and Austin Butler was no small thing. Pugh stepped into the world of Arrakis with confidence, adding yet another genre-defining credit to her already impressive filmography.
16. Thunderbolts* (2025)
Yelena Belova gets her biggest MCU spotlight yet in Thunderbolts*, where Florence Pugh leads a team of morally complicated antiheroes on a mission that tests everything they believe. This is the role fans have been waiting for since Pugh first appeared as Yelena back in 2021, and excitement around the film has been enormous.
Getting to headline a Marvel ensemble film is a major milestone for any actor. Pugh’s journey from British indie darling to full-on Marvel lead is one of the most exciting career arcs in Hollywood right now.