Florence Pugh finds it "bizarre" when people try to "educate" her on her own "private life".
Florence Pugh for ELLE UK
The 24-year-old actress has received backlash due to the age gap between herself and her boyfriend Zach Braff - who, at 45, is 21 years her senior - and has said she can't understand why people feel the need to comment on who she "hangs out" with.
She said: "I have the right to hang out and be with and go out with anyone I want to. I've always found this part of what people do really bizarre. I'm an actor because I like acting and I don't mind people watching my stuff, but people have no right to educate me on my private life."
The 'Midsommar' star understands that public opinion comes with being in the spotlight, but finds it "strange" that people are "allowed" to "invade [her] privacy" just because she's famous.
She told the June issue of ELLE UK magazine: "I know that part of being in the spotlight is that people might invade your privacy and have opinions on it, but it's bizarre that normal folk are allowed to display such hate and opinions on a part of my life that I'm not putting out there. It's a strange side of fame that you're allowed to be torn apart by thousands of people even though you didn't put that piece of you out there. My point to all this is that isn't it odd that a stranger can totally tear apart someone's relationship and it's allowed?"
Meanwhile, Florence recently took to social media to address the "horrid hurling abuse" she received after posting a birthday tribute to the 'Scrubs' actor.
In her video, the 'Little Women' star said the abuse forced her to switch off the comments on the post as she doesn't want her Instagram to be a "toxic" place.
She said: "On Monday, I posted a photo in honour of Zach's birthday and I wrote a birthday message underneath.
"Within about eight minutes of the photo being posted, I had about 70 per cent of the comments hurling abuse and being horrid - basically bullying someone on my page.
"It is the first time in my entire Instagram life that I've had to turn off the comments on my page.
"I've never been an Instagram page that encourages that. I've never been an Instagram page that likes that toxic vibe."
And later in the clip, she added: "I do not need you to tell me who I should and should not love and I would never in my life tell anyone who they can and cannot love. It is not your place."
The June issue of ELLE UK is on sale from Thursday (07.05.20), and during this climate, readers are able to get ELLE UK delivered to their door, either by purchasing a single copy via www.magsdirect.co.uk/elle, or by subscribing at www.hearstmagazines.co.uk to get six issues for £6.
Tagged in Zach Braff Florence Pugh