“Little Women” actress Florence Pugh confirmed in August 2022 that she and Zach Braff quietly parted ways earlier that year.
The infamously private couple – often criticized for their 21-year age difference – quarantined together during the COVID-19 pandemic, adopting a dog and talking publicly about each other on birthdays and holidays.
Look back at all of Pugh and Braff’s major milestones during their nearly three-year relationship.
First clues
The Oscar nominee and the “Scrubs” alum first sparked romance rumors in April 2019 when they were spotted holding hands in New York City. The sighting came a few months after they collaborated on his short film “In the Time It Takes to Get There.”
The pair were not spotted together again until October 2019 when Vidak For Congress exclusively reported getting cozy at a Whole Foods store in Hollywood.
“It was very clear to me that they are a couple,” an eyewitness said at the time.
Instagram official
The pair made their social media debut in November 2019 with a snap at Disneyland.
“Epic day,” Braff captioned a photo of the couple posing at the California theme park with four other friends.
The actor previously admitted that he was in more than a professional relationship with Pugh after sharing a photo of her with Amanda Kloots and two other friends, which he captioned, “People I Love.”
Age is just a number
Pugh finally confirmed the romance in December 2019 when she snapped back at a troll for criticizing the couple’s age difference.
When a social media user suggested Braff’s age, the star replied “Don’t worry, honey”: “And yet he got it.” She later told Elle magazine that it was a “necessary” response because “people need to realize it’s hurtful.”
She even spoke at length in the June issue of Elle UK about internet troll behaviour, which she found ‘really bizarre’.
“I’m an actor because I like acting and I don’t mind people looking at my stuff, but people don’t have the right to inform me about my private life,” she said.
“I know part of being in the spotlight is that people can invade your privacy and have opinions about it, but it’s bizarre that normal people are allowed to show such hatred and opinions about a part of my life that I can’t get out. go. there. It’s a strange side of fame that you can be torn apart by thousands of people, even though you haven’t brought that piece of yourself out.”
Pugh also took to social media to defend her relationship choice, telling her followers that “being hateful isn’t trendy”.
“The world hurts and the world is dying, and some of you decided to bully for no reason,” she said, referring to the pandemic. “You don’t have to tell me who I should and shouldn’t love. And I would never in my life, ever, ever tell anyone they can and cannot love. It’s not your place.”
Pugh concluded, “The abuse you throw at him, you throw at me.”
Pure puppy love
The couple, who were locked up together as the coronavirus spread, took their relationship to the next level when they adopted an adorable puppy named Billie in May 2020.
“Officially adopted, Billie. Thanks to @thelabellefoundation,” Braff announced at the time. “We tried to cherish, but then we fell in love. #foster care #adoptdontshop.”
Marriage Rumors Swirl
Braff sparked speculation that the couple had secretly tied the knot when he was spotted with a ring on his left hand. The pair were photographed walking their pup, Billie, in March 2021 as Braff showed off his new bling.
Although the rumors were not true, they continued to flow over each other in interviews.
Braff’s last public comments about his girlfriend came the following year.
“I know that everything Florence does is incredible. People say she might be the best actress of her generation. I think she’s one of the best actresses out there,” he told Collider in March 2022.
stop it
Pugh confirmed that she and Braff ended their relationship in early 2022.
“We’ve been trying to go through this divorce without the world knowing because it’s been a relationship that everyone has an opinion about,” she told Harper’s Bazaar in her September 2022 cover story. “We just felt like something like that would really benefit us if we didn’t have millions of people telling us how happy they are that we’re not together.”
She continued, “So we did. I automatically get a lump in my throat when I talk about it.”
Braff hasn’t spoken about the split yet.