Florence Pugh Expertly Responds To Criticism Of 21-Year Age Difference With Zach Braff

Florence Pugh has 'hit back' at fans who criticise her relationship with Zach Braff given the couple's 21-year age difference.

On Friday, the Little Women actress shared a photograph of herself on Instagram following a long haul flight, captioning the snap: ‘First pit-stop, Matzo Ball soup. #curingjetlag101.’

In response to the photograph, which was taken in front of Greenblatt's Delicatessen Restaurant in West Hollywood, Braff – who starred in the hit TV show Scrubs – commented with a princess emoji, resulting in a backlash from the pair’s fans.

‘You’re 44 years old,’ wrote one user.

‘He looks like your grandfather,’ another added.

View full post on Instagram

However, the 23-year-old actress unsurprisingly took umbrage with the criticism the pair received and replied to the negative comments ‘and yeah he got it’.

It’s unknown how long Pugh and Braff have been an item for, however they were spotted holding hands during an afternoon out in New York City in April. The pair are yet to confirm their relationship status.

The actors aren’t the only Hollywood couple to have received criticism for their age difference.

In 2017, actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson addressed the scrutiny he and wife Sam Taylor-Johnson have received over the years as a result of their 24-year age gap.

‘The attention was intrusive,’ he said of the attention surrounding his marriage in 2013 to the director at Babington House, Somerset in an interview with New York Magazine.

‘But having to deal with that early in my career probably got me to a place where I can more quickly just go, 'Oh, f*ck it' instead of wanting to rip someone's head off for asking questions I don't like.'

The pair met on the set of the critically acclaimed John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy in 2008. Aged 18, Johnson has previously starred in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and The Illusionist while Sam, then 42 years old, was a renowned artist and a mother of two daughters.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter a year prior, the director said she tried hard not to care about the opinions of others.

'If I gave a second thought to other people, I would be the unhappiest person, probably still in a miserable marriage,' she told THR.

She added: 'People like to talk about it. I'm like, 'Yeah, but it works better than my last marriage.' It's lasted longer than a lot of my friends' marriages.'

In November, the actor opened up about the moment he fell for his wife.

‘I remember it very, very clearly,’ he told Harper’s Bazaar.

‘I know exactly what she was wearing. This white shirt that she still has, that I love. It definitely changed my life, though not in the way I expected.’

The Nocturnal Animals star, who has four daughters with his wife, added: ‘‘In the 10 years we’ve been together, we’ve only been apart for maybe two or three days. And those were the worst days of those 10 years.’

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Katie O'Malley

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Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.