Rising star Florence Pugh has her hands full following her character Yelena Belova's introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but before her blockbuster roles started rolling in, the actor appeared in multiple horror movies. For many young actors, horror is a stepping stone to bigger projects. The genre is famous for launching the careers of stars like Brad Pitt and George Clooney, both of whom were offed by slashers early in their screen careers before moving on to more prominent roles.
Some Hollywood stars like Kevin Bacon keep making horror movies regardless of how far their careers have come. Indeed, some actors love the genre, while others just want to keep their range as broad as possible, and have used the horror scene to help fill out their portfolio. Both of these options are available to young star Florence Puch, who is set to be central part of the MCU only a few short years after the actress was best known for smaller indie projects.
Pugh’s rise to superstardom has seen her selected for some choice roles, but her decision to take on the starring role in director Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling proves she is not ready to say goodbye to the horror genre. A lot of Pugh’s earliest roles were in horrors, from 2014’s The Falling to 2018’s Malevolent. However, it was the instantly iconic (and much-spoofed) Midsommar that cemented her status as a leading lady to watch, making it no surprise that Pugh is open to returning to the genre.
Malevolent
Released in 2018, Malevolent is a perfectly passable horror that suffers in comparison to more inventive entries into the “haunted house” sub-genre. The creepy story of a scamming psychic has a superb central turn from a pre-fame Pugh to recommend, but little else going for it. Malevolent’s plot twists and turns into some dark places, but it would be a stretch to call the movie surprising, and most of its best moments come from seeing Pugh pull a compelling performance out of a dodgy script. Rotten Tomatoes has the film at a 55% critical score, but the 17% audience score tells the real story.
The Falling
2014’s atmospheric The Falling is a solid mystery, but one that never coalesces into more than some striking images and interesting ideas. Its story of an unexplained epidemic of failing fits befalling a school was revisited by the CW’s campy teen drama Riverdale, but don’t expect that show’s goofy, over-the-top tone here. An austere drama, The Falling’s themes of lost youth and sisterhood were explored in more horror-oriented terms by The Blackcoat’s Daughter, and ultimately its lack of resolution feels more aimless than unnerving.
Midsommar
Arguably Pugh’s best movie so far, Midsommar is comfortably the star’s best horror movie. Released in 2019, the unsettling tale of a vulnerable young woman being seduced by a sinister cult is a day-lit nightmare and a modern horror masterpiece. Midsommar cemented her status as a star on the rise and also made for one of the decade’s most disquieting watches. The film is "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes with an 83% critical score, with a heavily praised Director's Cut that adds even more. Ari Aster's unique, darkly comic cult hit Midsommar is easily Florence Pugh’s best horror movie.