Futuristic fashion was on display at the world premiere of the new sci-fi adventure Dune: Part Two, but for leading lady Florence Pugh, the night was about celebrating her family’s history.
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Arriving at London’s Leicester Square alongside co-stars Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, the 28-year-old actress walked the red carpet with a very special plus-one– her grandmother “Granzo Pat”. But while Pat kept it simple in monochrome, Florence went for full-out glamour in a sequinned Violentino backless dress featuring a statement hood and draped neck. Also marking links with the past, US actress Zendaya raided the style archives to stun the crowd with a vintage cyborg bodysuit from Thierry Mugler’s 1995 autumn/winter couture collection.
It was high fashion, too, for Anya Taylor-Joy, who seemed to be giving fans a clue to her character in the long-awaited sequel to the 2021 film, wearing a Dior white cape over a white pleated silk dress. Like Anya, Florence is a newcomer to Dune’s star-studded universe. She plays Princess Irulan, daughter of Hollywood heavyweight Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam IV, in a role that comes hot on the heels of a string of critically acclaimed parts. But despite all the glitz and glory, there’s no danger of her getting above her station.“I’ve had the same core friends since I was a teenager,” she says. “I love that I get to bring them along on this journey and to know that they’ve got me.”
Taking Granzo Pat to the premiere was, perhaps, no surprise. Florence was raised by “a really powerful set of women” and didn’t have far to look for inspiration for Irulan, who, she says, “truly realises her power and position” in the film. “I always draw from my mum, from my gran and my sisters, who are unbelievably opinionated. My dad as well,” she adds of restaurateur Clinton, who also often attends premieres with Florence and her mother Debbie.
And that’s rubbed off on her? “Oh yeah. I’m definitely someone who kicks up a fuss about stuff sometimes– stuff I maybe shouldn’t.“There’s no other way I could be other than loud, opinionated and very proud and noisy. I don’t think I could live any other way.”
Having “loved” Dune, Florence, who also stars in the multi-award-winning blockbuster Oppenheimer, playing Cillian Murphy’s lover Jean Tatlock, says she felt she had “won the lottery” when she was cast in the new film.
“I couldn’t quite believe I was going to have that rare experience of going from a fan to being part of this incredible universe. It was a real fangirl feeling. It’s an amazing feeling being a part of something so great and so respected.”
Filming saw Florence, who says she still gets starstruck, share the spotlight with Charlotte Rampling, an experience she describes as “a dream come true”, and Oscar winner Christopher, who found a novel way to diffuse the tension on some of their more complex scenes.
“I spent a lot of time with Christopher Walken doing some pretty dark scenes, which could be pretty intense until Chris brought up the subject of doughnuts,” she says. “We talked about doughnuts and it was brilliant because it really helped lighten the mood. But we did it completely deadpan like it was a really serious conversation. It was just surreal.”
Florence is also an accomplished musician, like her brother Toby Sebastian. She wrote and performed two songs on the soundtrack to last year’s A Good Person, in which she also starred, and hopes to do more.
“I love singing and I love music. I used to do it just as much as acting but obviously, I’ve had to concentrate on the acting over the past few years. I would love to return to it.”
As for what’s next: “I really just like doing different things. I like finishing one project, changing it up and moving on to the next.“I’ve been working hard for a long time and I love working. I love being busy. So I hopeI can keep on being that.”