Florence Pugh Responds To Instagram Backlash Over Zach Braff Birthday Post

On Wednesday, Florence Pugh took to Instagram to respond to the hateful comments towards a photo and birthday message for her boyfriend Zach Braff, which was posted two days before. The lengthy video shows Pugh recalling turning off the comments section — a first for the celebrity — on Instagram, due to the majority of the remarks "hurling abuse and being horrid."

"My relationship with Instagram," wrote Pugh in her post's caption. "In true Flo fashion, wearing spot stickers and all. To those of you that this video applies to - please listen. Please learn. Being hateful is not trendy."

"The world is aching and the world is dying and a few of you decided to bully for no reason," said Pugh.

Pugh has defended her relationship (and the 21-year age difference) between her and Braff before. In her new Instagram video, it was no different: "I am 24 years old. I do not need you to tell me who I should and should not love, and I would not ever 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," she said. "So if those rules are something that you do not like, then please unfollow me because the abuse that you throw at him is abuse that you throw at me, and I don't want those followers."

The Little Women star concluded her video with the hope that she can keep her Instagram page positive, alongside her entertaining cooking videos, and for her followers to be safe during the coronavirus pandemic. See her response in its entirety, below.