Why Florence Pugh Is Calling Out Marvel

Florence Pugh made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2021, when she appeared as fan-favorite character Yelena Belova in "Black Widow" alongside Scarlett Johansson and David Harbour (via IMDb). During an interview with Elle in July 2020, Pugh discussed the intimidating prospect of joining Marvel and how the decision to join the cast of "Black Widow" was difficult to make. "When you think of Marvel, it's big and daunting. Especially being a relatively small actor to look at it and go, 'Oh! I'm going to be a part of this,' that's a big decision," Pugh told the outlet.

Her apprehension paid off following the release of the film, as Pugh's portrayal of Yelena was praised by fans and critics alike. Her performance added humor and tenderness to the plot, and it cemented Pugh's place in the vast Marvel Cinematic Universe for numerous collaborations to come. One of these collaborations cropped up recently when Pugh made a surprise appearance in the new Disney+ television show "Hawkeye," starring Hailee Steinfeld and longtime Marvel actor Jeremy Renner (via Cosmopolitan).

The "Midsommar" actress celebrated this newest appearance in the MCU on her Instagram account, but the gesture backfired and ultimately led Florence Pugh to call out Marvel for this specific reason.

This week, Florence Pugh celebrated her surprise appearance as Yelena Belova on Disney's "Hawkeye" by creating a sentimental Instagram post commemorating the occasion. The moment was meant to be one of excitement and happiness, but Pugh faced backlash from angry Marvel fans who complained that her post was a spoiler for viewers who hadn't seen the episode yet (per Cosmopolitan). At the time of Pugh's posting, the fourth episode of "Hawkeye" had already premiered on the Disney+ streaming service, so presumably, the actress didn't think her post constituted a spoiler alert for fans.

Not long after posting pictures from the "Hawkeye" episode, Pugh revealed on her Instagram that she had been blocked from promoting her appearance further. "I never thought me posting love about a show in which I appear on would get taken down... but here we are," Pugh wrote on her Instagram Story. She called out Marvel fans later in the statement and added, "Someone on here complained so I've been blocked from posting my own appearance on a show that I'm very much in. Beyond ridiculous."