In 2019, Ari Aster restored its letters of nobility to a sometimes mistreated genre on the occasion of the cinema release of Midsummer. A psychological horror film that plunged us into the disturbing traditions of a sect in Sweden during a summer solstice, this project was a slap in the face to everyone.
Boasting an average rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was accompanied by many positive reviews. “It’s strange and disturbing at times, (…) it’s full of ideas, images and feelings that stay with you until the end“, wrote The Independent, while Newsday declared: “Highly artistic horror that’s not for every stomach“. For his part, AP confided: “Midsommar is a walking nightmare and I mean that as a compliment“.
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A painful performance for Florence Pugh
And if this film was so powerful, it was in particular thanks to the breathtaking performance of its lead actress: Florence Pugh. A true revelation on screen, she shone with her acting that was as moving as it was sensitive. Unfortunately, she has just admitted, her performance was not without consequences.
Guest on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, the actress revealed that she had embarked on far too intense preparation to play this grieving woman, trying to rebuild herself after a terrible tragedy: “There were certain roles for which I gave way too much and I came away broken, for a long time“. Roles like that of Dany in Midsummer. “I really feel like I’ve taken advantage of myself. to take me too far into certain psychological corners“, she whispered.
“I went too far”
Also, Florence Pugh assured her, she will never be able to offer an identical performance in the future: “When you move on, you then realize, ‘Well, I can’t do something like that again, I went too far‘.”
We reassure you, six years later, the actress still loves the film as much: “When I look at my performance, I am proud of what I did and what came out of me. I don’t regret it”. On the other hand, she knows that it was a unique service, and she must respect that for the good of her mental health: “There are clearly things that you must respect about yourself“. The limits of the famous Actor’s Studio technique…
