Florence Pugh embraces Yelena Belova's vulnerable side

Florence Pugh loves the "human" element to her Marvel character.

The 29-year-old actress plays Yelena Belova in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Florence loves that her character shows a vulnerable side to her personality in 'Thunderbolts', the new Marvel movie.

The Hollywood star told ScreenRant: "It's so important. I also think I wouldn't have believed it if she weren't [vulnerable]."

Florence first played Yelena in 2021's 'Black Widow', and the actress is thankful that the character remains so closely connected to Natasha Romanoff, the character previously played by Scarlett Johansson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Florence said: "Natasha was her hero and her idol. She's her big sister.

"Even when she was angry at her, she never stopped loving her. So, the idea that she's gone and she never got to have that relationship that she finally got back in 'Black Widow'? If I hadn't been able to play this beat, I would've been p***** off because it's natural instincts.

"You've got to allow these characters to be human. You've got to allow them to feel. And also, the fans wouldn't have liked it."

Florence stars alongside David Harbour in 'Thunderbolts' and she loves that their on-screen relationship has a real-life feel to it.

The actress also feels that her character, and her relationships, have evolved over time.

She explained: "It's the same thing that David and I really fought for with our relationship in the movie. We can't not have an argument about what's happened to us since Natasha died.

"Even though we want to make a movie where people don't have to see all the previous movies of all these characters, we cannot do that. We can't let the audience think that they're stupid because, realistically, I would want that scene if I were watching and wasn't in this movie. I'd want those two arguing.

"It was just very, very important to make sure that we're constantly evolving and questioning and making sure that we have those beats of vulnerability."

Meanwhile, Florence recently admitted that she "missed" Scarlett on the set of 'Thunderbolts'.

The actress also hopes that she makes Scarlett "proud" with the new Marvel movie.

Florence told The Hollywood Reporter: "My whole journey with Marvel was because of Scarlett trusting me and Scarlett wanting me to join her movie ['Black Widow'] six years ago.

"So I always miss her presence, and I always feel like it was such a mean thing to begin the journey with someone and then you never get to work with them again on it.

"It was kind of wild that ['Black Widow'] was the first and the last time I would get to experience this world with her. But I am genuinely always just hoping that she’s proud."