Florence Pugh has opened up about the Zach Braff age gap criticism

Florence Pugh and Zach Braff were one of the most talked-about couples of the decade, parting ways in 2022 after dating for three years.

The couple was notoriously private, particularly given the controversy surrounding their relationship, with Pugh and Braff subjected to a tidal wave of backlash for their 21-year age gap.

In fact, the abuse directed at Braff, now 49, became so loud at one point that Pugh, now 28, released a statement in defence of their relationship.

"I've always found it funny, how I can be good enough for people to watch my work, and support my work, and pay for tickets, and I'm old enough to be an adult and pay taxes, but I'm not old enough to know who I should and should not have sex with," she announced in a powerful statement back in 2020. "Once again, [it's] making a young woman feel like shit for no reason. I think I did feel shit for a while about admitting that, and then I thought, 'How ridiculous is that?'"

Her statement continued: "I'm 24 and I can't choose who I love. There's a reason why I'm not with someone my age - It hasn't worked. So who are you trying to match me up with?"

This week, Pugh opened up about defending her former relationship with Braff, explaining to Vogue that for her, it was necessary.

"I had to be public in the past because people were bullying me and bullying my partner," Pugh explained in the recent interview. "Mine and Zach's relationship was actually quite private until it was nasty, and I could see the toll that it was taking on him and us and our families. And that's when I spoke out. I think for anyone I'm with, I want to protect them.

She continued: "It's not nice knowing that people are saying the worst things I've ever read about someone that I love. So that was necessary. I needed to talk about it. I think any relationship in this limelight is going to be stressed."

Florence Pugh and Zach Braff have remained on good terms, even working together on A Good Person in 2023.