Florence Pugh defends 21-year age gap with Zach Braff: 'I don't know when cyber-bullying became trendy'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Florence Pugh gave an ultimatum to her Instagram followers on Wednesday: if you don't support her relationship with Zach Braff then simply hit the "unfollow" button.
The "Little Women" actress, 24, and Braff, 45, were first seen in public together last April. While the star is no stranger to being in the spotlight, she admitted that she's finally had enough after a birthday tribute she posted for Braff earlier in the week received a slew of nasty comments about their 21-year age gap.
In a lengthy video posted to her Instagram Story on Wednesday, Pugh expressed exactly how she felt about strangers critiquing her relationship.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FLORENCE PUGH REVEALS SHE WAS TOPLESS IN BED WHEN SHE FOUND OUT ABOUT OSCAR NOMINATION
"On Monday I posted a photo in honor of Zach's birthday and I wrote a birthday message underneath. Within about eight minutes of the photo being posted, I had about 70 percent of the comments hurling abuse and being horrid, and basically bullying someone on my page," Pugh began.
The frustrated star continued: "It is the first time in my entire Instagram life that I've had to turn off the comments on my page. I have never been an Instagram page that encourages that."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The actress shared that she uses Instagram as a means to "bring some light" with videos showing the star dancing, singing and cooking at home.
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Pugh said the online harassment she received on Monday took it too far.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I will not allow that behavior on my page. I'm not about that. It makes me sad during this time when we really all need to be together, we need to be supporting one another, we need to be loving one another," she continued, referencing the coronavirus pandemic. "The world is aching. The world is dying and the few of you decided to bully for no reason."
She added: "I want to underline this fact: I don't need you to tell me who I should and should not love and I would never in my life, ever, ever tell anyone who they can and cannot love. It is not your place, and really, it has nothing to do with you."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"It's embarrassing and it's sad. I don't know when cyber-bullying became trendy," she said.
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In closing, Pugh politely asked her followers to stop following her if they did not agree.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If those rules are something that you do not like then please unfollow me because the abuse that you throw at [Braff] is abuse that you throw at me and I don't want those followers."