Florence Pugh slams the ‘godawful headlines’ body-shaming Black Doves star Keira Knightley

Dune’s Florence Pugh has criticised the way women’s bodies are spoken about, particularly the media’s treatment of Black Doves star Keira Knightley.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Pugh, whose own body has often been the topic of discussion, cited the “godawful headlines” about Knightley over the years as an example of how perverse body-shaming continues to be.

While a teen and starring in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Love Actually, Knightley had to face lots of comments about her appearance. She once told Elle UK: “There was a very long time when [interviewers] were all: ‘Well, you’re a s*** actor and you’re anorexic and people hate you’, which, for a teenager or somebody in their early twenties, is a very strange thing.”

And now, Oscar-nominee Pugh has said: “Look, not everybody has legs that go on for days. I remember watching this industry and feeling I wasn’t represented. I remember godawful headlines about how Keira Knightley isn’t thin any more, or watching women getting torn apart despite being talented and beautiful.

“The only thing people want to talk about is some useless crap about how they look. I didn’t care to abide by those rules. I’ve loved challenging ideas I don’t like.”

Pugh has faced hateful remarks throughout her career, including from one critic who focused on her “chunky thighs” in the 2019 wrestling comedy-drama Fighting with My Family. 

A few years later, she was mauled her for wearing a see-through Valentino dress. Pugh responded in an Instagram post, saying: So many of you wanted to aggressively let me know how disappointed you were by my ‘tiny tits’… Grow up. Respect bodies. Respect all women.”

In the recent interview, Pugh continued: “I always prodded at things. I’m not nasty, I hope people think I’m kind. But there are fine lines women have to stay within, otherwise they are called a diva, demanding, problematic.

“I don’t want to fit into stereotypes made by others. It is exhausting for a young woman to be in this industry, and actually other industries. But I’ve always been encouraged to have a voice. I’m proud I’ve stuck by myself and look the way I look.

“I’m really interested in people who are still angry with me for not losing more weight, or who just hate my nose ring.

“I am not going to be able to change the way things are but I can certainly help young women coming into this industry by making conversations happen where they weren’t before.”

She acknowledged that it’s “always been fashionable” to dictate how women should exist, saying: “It’s about control, isn’t it? It’s still ultimately about suppressing one sex, and we’re dealing with it all the time.”

She went on to describe herself as “a bit too gobby and argumentative” and “a bit too yappy” to play the Hollywood game. “I wouldn’t be able to not say how I feel, especially when it’s me being attacked. If people don’t want me to be this way, they’re going to be severely disappointed.”

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