First of all, a lot of people would agree that the career trajectory of Florence Pugh is pretty amazing—she has moved in a very smooth manner from small indie films to huge Marvel blockbusters, all the while keeping that very special quality of hers, the emotional truth and intensity that is almost impossible to miss. No matter whether she is wrestling with grief, having a laugh in the middle of a fight, or quietly dominating the scene, Pugh never fails to impress with her acting skills and is one of the most versatile stars of modern Hollywood. These are 10 of the performances that really show why she is the real deal—starting with the underappreciated hidden gems and going up to her absolute must-see ones.
10. The Wonder (2022)
In Sebastián Lelio’s The Wonder, Pugh plays the role of nurse Lib Wright, a British nurse sent to the Irish countryside to investigate a local girl who is said to be a “miracle” as she hasn’t eaten for several months. A quiet, factual, and detached approach soon turns into a confrontation between science and religion. The actress’s personal power is practically the anchor of the movie—she signs off on the doubt and compassion that makes Lib one of the most quietly dominating characters of her career.
9. Outlaw King (2018)
In this violent epic, Pugh is playing the role of Elizabeth de Burgh, the devoted wife of Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine). War and treachery surround the couple; in this case, Elizabeth becomes the story’s moral center. Maybe the actress’s character is not the most exposed in the film, but her grounding quality gives the story real emotional weight. In the film, she humanizes the anarchy, proof that even in the cast of an invincible warrior, emotional fortitude holds the spotlight.
8. A Good Person (2023)
A Good Person is an honest walk through loss and self-sabotage, which Pugh single-handedly covers. As Allison, a woman trying to mend herself after a traumatic accident, she is awkward, incomplete, yet incredibly human. The performance does not suggest that the actress is in any way swollen with pride; Pugh fully immerses in every dreadful emotion without any hesitation. One of the actress’s most emotionally frail roles.
7. Fighting with My Family (2019)
It’s not that much that wrestling fans’ breed wouldn’t appreciate the film Fighting with My Family, but the contrary is true—you can love it despite it. Pugh is brilliant as Paige, a working-class girl from Norwich, who wants to become a WWE star. She also gets the physical side of the character, the humor, and the vulnerability spot on, trading big laughs for genuine heart. The film was a turning point in Pugh’s career, where she proved that it is not as hard for her to play a leading role in a crowd-pleaser as well as in a prestigious drama, and she still has fun doing it.
6. Midsommar (2019)
The light-of-day horror by Ari Aster is, quite simply, not existent without Florence Pugh. Dani, a character who is falling apart due to loss and is in the middle of the midsummer celebration of a Swedish cult, is one of horror’s most gut-wrenching depictions, and thus the actress delivers it. The emotional intensity she draws, going from fear to catharsis, is unbelievable. Midsommar is terrifying, but it is also heartbreak in slow-motion, and Pugh is there for every moment of it.
5. Black Widow (2021)
One could hardly find a scene in which Pugh’s Yelena Belova wasn’t stealing the spotlight in Black Widow. Using her intriguing mixture of sarcasm, PTSD, and deadpan wit, she gave a new breath to the Marvel formula. Besides that, Pugh supports the emotional weight of a spy’s past with ease of her comedic timing—no small feat. She would rather leave here as the next big MCU star than be an Oscar-winning supporting actor.
4. Little Women (2019)
Amy March was the most unliked March sister, just because Florence Pugh decided so with her performance. In Greta Gerwig’s Little Women, she portrays Amy as a one-woman, multi-dimensional character: vain and ambitious, imperfect and self-aware. Pugh’s Oscar-nominated performance makes the audience reconsider Amy, transforming her from merely an anxious little sister to one of the novel’s most sympathetic characters.
3. Oppenheimer (2023)
Despite being surrounded by other great actors, Pugh’s performance as Jean Tatlock, J. Robert Oppenheimer’s lover, is still memorable. Her on-screen appearance is short but powerful; she combines love and tragedy. Pugh’s basic humaneness amid a film crowded with intellect and guilt makes one of the most lasting impressions.
2. Thunderbolts (2025)
Florence Pugh is back as Yelena Belova, this time she is the one leading the way in Thunderbolts*, and she shows that she is more than capable of managing the next MCU era. Along with the banter and action, Pugh adds to Yelena, she does not hesitate to go into her trauma and need for acceptance with touching accuracy. She is at her best when she is strong, witty, and seductive—the kind of performance that gets you thinking, Is it Marvel that will have the future over here.
1. Lady Macbeth (2016)
Before anybody heard her name, Florence Pugh delivered such a forceful performance that it made critics turn their heads. In the film Lady Macbeth, she plays Katherine, the young bride imprisoned in a stifling marriage who takes power most cruelly. Pugh’s calming energy and moral uncertainty make it an unforgettable experience—indeed, this was the moment that she let everyone know that she was here and that there would be such roles in the future.
From period dramas of dark moods to big-screen blockbuster franchises, Florence Pugh has consistently demonstrated that there is no part she can’t dominate. Each performance is unique yet unmistakably hers—unapologetic, raw, and unflinchingly human. Whether she’s shattering hearts or shattering bones, she does so with ease. And if this list serves to show anything, it’s that Florence Pugh is more than Hollywood’s most chameleon-like star—she’s only just beginning.