Florence Pugh is one of our brightest young starlets, killing it in big screen hits like Oppenheimer, Black Widow, and most recently, Dune: Part 2. The sequel sci-fi film may not have been eligible to be a 2024 Oscar winner, but it's been receiving high praise from critics, with many calling Dune: Part 2 a masterpiece. (CinemaBlend's own Dune 2 review calls it "blockbuster perfection.") Pugh is seemingly enjoying the ride at this high point in her career, but despite all the success, she is still remaining humble and gracious. This was depicted in a recent behind-the-scenes video from the Oscars, where the actress had a sweet interaction with a fan of her sci-fi franchise, and it just makes me love her even more.
Pugh was approached by influencer Haley Kalil backstage at the Academy Awards, who told the Little Women star how much she loved her dress, and congratulated her on all the success she has had. She also expressed how much she adored Dune: Part 2, calling it “The Lord of the Rings of this generation.”
Pugh was happy and appreciative of the praise, and complimented Kalil’s dress as well, telling how beautiful she also looked. It was an adorable moment, and Pugh couldn’t have been sweeter. You can see a video of the interaction from Kalil’s YouTube below:
It’s no surprise that Pugh’s dress was the first thing Kalil noticed when she walked in the room. It's no surprise, given the Midsommar actress wore a sparkly silver number with a silk skirt and a corset bodice from Del Core’s spring 2024 collection that had similar floating shoulders to Emily Blunt's look.
The dress brought some Dune futurism to the look, considering Pugh was still celebrating the release of Villenueve’s epic, despite being at the Oscars to support Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer had a big night, taking home seven awards including Best Picture, and Pugh joined her castmates on stage to accept the award. With all the Dune: Part 2 success, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pugh ended up on the Oscars stage again next year.
Honestly, I don't feel Kalil was even exaggerating when she told Pugh that Dune: Part 2 was “The Lord of the Rings of this generation.” This is exactly the kind of praise the most recent Dune adaptation has been receiving from fans. The massive epic not only features a great, appropriately subtle performance by Pugh, but also boosts incredible performances by the rest of the Dune: Part 2 cast. The set pieces, impeccable CGI, and scale of the film must be seen to be believed, and the impact culturally cannot be underestimated, as Dune Part 2 is also having a stellar box office run.
Through it all, Pugh remains humble during this fan interaction, clearly flattered by the emphatic praise. She compliments Kalil’s dress before she can even finish receiving the compliments herself and takes the time to exchange words before heading off to where she needs to go. The 28-year-old actress is becoming a major movie star, and likely receives these kinds of compliments all the time, but comes off as appreciative and humble regardless. They say “don’t meet your heroes,” but this fan video proves that meeting your heroes can be a wonderful experience, especially if that person is Florence Pugh.
When Pugh isn’t meeting and complimenting fans, she is starring in generation-defining blockbuster movies like Dune: Part 2, which is currently in theaters and IMAX nationwide. She is also set to appear alongside Andrew Garfield in the romantic drama, We Live In Time, which is expected to hit the big screen sometime later this year. For more information on other films heading to cinemas in the near future, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.
