Florence Pugh interview: BAFTA EE Rising Star Award announcement, Lady Macbeth

Florence, fantastic to meet you. Sarah from The Upcoming. Hello. Hello. It's great to be here at the E! Rising Star Award nomination. How does it feel to be nominated? Oh, God, don't. It's like, I don't feel pressure, which is great, but it's just really lovely to be here and to be talking about it and to be here with, you know, fellow God's Own Country Josh, because both of our films came out at the same time, so that's really wicked. It's just a nice moment, really. What's really wicked about this year is there's no specific film that everybody has single-handedly seen. Every single film is really individual and their own, and quite indie, actually, and that's what's been really nice, is actually saying, yeah, no, I've seen all of these at different festivals or different platforms, and they all stand out as their own. What do you think this kind of award can do for your career, or even just having the nomination? I think the nomination is an award, personally. It's what I've been saying over and over today. I don't really mind about the win. It's like to actually, I mean, the key is in the title, E.E. Rising Star, given by BAFTA. I mean, to be nominated for that is a huge deal, and I'm sure it will feel like that on the event as well, because it's very special for someone to recognise your career moving in a specific direction. It's a nice feeling. And Lady Macbeth, a really fantastic movie, a unique twist on a period drama. What do you think made this film so special? A cat, probably. No, what made this film so special? Well, I think it's a period film that is done differently. I think everybody's seen the very usual period drama where the women suffer in silence and go mad in a house and then commit suicide, and I think we've all got that drilled into our head. And I think in this film, she doesn't, and she kicks back. And people found that really interesting, and I found that really interesting. I think that's what's been really wicked for me, is just to be able to now look at characters differently and say, no, they don't have to be like that. They can be that. They can be delicious. And how did you go about preparing for the role? Oh, God, I didn't really. I did, but it was more of, like, because Katherine was so instinctive and because she was such a powerhouse, I didn't want to overdo her. I didn't want to feel like I'd practised her. I felt like she was a bit of a free soul. And so when doing that film, I wanted to keep that as her. I didn't want to feel like I'd rehearsed every scene about five times, and neither did Will. So preparation was more in... I got lots of my preparation from actually that costume. Being in that costume, as simple as it sounds, was so key for me in being Katherine. And then the rest was just trying to feel it out with characters on the day, actors on the day. And how was it working with the director, William, and your co-star, Cosmo? Oh, amazing. Will, we all got to know each other about two weeks before shoot. We all did a little bit of rehearsal together. And that was just so wicked because, obviously, the storyline of Lady Macbeth is so involved. All the characters are involved, whether it's me and Naomi or me and Cosmo. Me and Cosmo had to be very physical. So to be able to get close to those people before you start a job like that. It was also a really short shoot, really intense. And that was a perfect key time to do that. And I'm in love with everyone from that film. We're just one big family now. So whenever we've had a nomination, it's definitely a group, it's a we. And we're just amazed that she's kept on going, Lady Macbeth. And 2017 seemed to be an incredible year for diversity in film, with really fascinating female characters like yours, lots of indie films doing very well. How do you see the industry more generally at the moment? How do I see the industry? I think it's improving, obviously. I think that was one of the big kicks with Lady Macbeth was the fact that roles didn't matter. It didn't matter where you were from or where you were brought up or what your character was or what period it was. I think that's why it actually caused a lot of attention was because it was different. And that's a great thing, and it has spurred on many conversations and people still want to talk about it now. And that's really wicked, and as it should be. I don't think we should whitewash history. It's not the way that it was, so why keep on making period dramas completely white? It doesn't make sense. And that's been a really wonderful conversation to be in with Lady Macbeth as well. It's just exciting. I think people are excited for the change. And bearing in mind some of the scandals that came out last year, how do you see the industry for women specifically, both in front and behind the camera? I actually think it's not just women. I think men obviously suffer from it too. I have friends that have been in the same situation that some of the stories we hear about women. I think the conversation is a lot bigger, and I think it's going to get bigger, which is great. And the fact that we're talking about it is so important. And the fact that people feel like they can say something and have a platform to say something, and it's our job to continue. It's our job to keep it going. And as I say, it's not just a women's issue. It's men too. And as sad and heartbreaking that is, it happens not in just our own industry. So it's an important time for everyone. And if we can use our platform, then great. And what have you got in the pipeline for 2018? I've actually already started on something which is wicked. I've started on Little Drummer Girl, which is the John le Carre series, which I'm really excited about. So that's kick-started 2018, and hopefully you'll see that later this year. And big ambitions for the future? Any particular directors or other actors you want to work with? I don't know. I can't say that because that's really mean. I've been really lucky so far. I'm aware I've been really lucky. If I can continue that, then wicked. If not... LAUGHTER Fantastic. Thanks so much for your time. Congratulations again. Thank you.