Florence Pugh feels blessed to be up for EE Rising Star Award

Florence Pugh admits being nominated for the EE Rising Star Award is a "blessing".
The 22-year-old actress came to prominence in British drama film ‘Lady MacBeth’ back in 2016 and the movie is still be praised and nominated for awards now.
Pugh is delighted to be in with a chance of winning the prestigious prize – the only BAFTA that is voted for by the public – and is equally thrilled that ‘Lady Macbeth’ is still being recognised "three years" after it was made.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, Pugh said: "Every time ‘Lady Macbeth’ and everyone involved in the film gets nominated it’s amazing. It’s such a blessing to be up for this and for the film to still be in motion and for people to still be talking about it three years after we made it. People still want to talk about it and give us appreciation. Up there against people who have been reaching the same milestones as me at the same time. It’s a nice feeling."
Set in 1865, ‘Lady Macbeth’ follows Katherine who is trapped in a loveless marriage to a much older man who decides to embark on a passionate affair with a man her own age.
The film was helmed by William Oldroyd and Pugh stars alongside Cosmo Jarvis, Christopher Fairbank and Naomi Ackie.
‘Lady Macbeth’ recently topped the list of nominations for the 2017 British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) landing 15 nods, including
Ackie in the Best Supporting Actress category.
‘Lady Macbeth’ was also nominated in five technical categories including Best Cinematography sponsored by Blackmagic Design, Best Production Design and Best Casting.
Pugh also said she was drawn to the role because of the character Katherine and said: "She was unlike anything else I have read and that’s a big conversation happening this year of lack of interesting roles for women that are being written for women. And Alice Birch who wrote the screenplay was all about that and that’s was really pushed was this different feel and energy of woman and m ale characters."
Pugh is up against American actress Tessa Thompson – who starred as Valkyrie in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ – and British duo Daniel Kaluuya and Josh O’Connor to be named the EE Rising Star.
The winner will be announced at the BAFTA Film Awards in London on February 18.