British actress Florence Pugh made a glamorous appearance at a Max Mara event in Venice on Tuesday, commanding attention in a plunging crop top and dramatic skirt.
The 30-year-old Oscar-nominated actress posed in front of the Italian city's historical architecture and along the water's edge in the striking matching ensemble.
Her top featured an extreme plunging neckline and included delicate fabric that she draped across her arms. The shimmering skirt, crafted in the exact same hue, skimmed her curves before trailing down onto the floor in a dramatic flourish.
She accessorised her look with an exquisite diamond necklace, matching diamond earrings, and carried a clutch bag in hand as she posed for photographers. The evening event was hosted by Max Mara, the luxury Italian fashion house founded in 1951 and renowned worldwide for high-end women's tailoring.
Earlier in the day, Pugh was seen arriving in the city via water taxi to attend the annual Venice Film Festival. The British actress oozed glamour as she went braless beneath a sophisticated black blouse paired with tailored trousers.
She complemented her chic arrival look with towering high-heels, a Louis Vuitton head scarf, and statement sunglasses. Later at the Max Mara function, she posed up a storm by the water's edge, letting the fabric of her ensemble float above her.
Venice Film Festival lineup and international jury
Her trip to the Italian city marks her return to the Venice Film Festival four years after her headline-grabbing appearance for the press tour of Don't Worry Darling. The world-famous festival, held annually on the Lido island in Venice, began last Wednesday with the premiere of British director Danny Boyle's Ink, a film drama depicting the rise of media magnate Rupert Murdoch.
The international cinema showcase is set to close on September 12 with the Italian costume drama Dio Ride (God Laughs), written and directed by Giovanni Veronesi. High-profile stars including Penelope Cruz and Pamela Anderson have been seen leaving the ultra-luxury Hotel Excelsior Venice Lido Resort, which has served as the historic heart of the festival since 1932.
American actress and filmmaker Maggie Gyllenhaal chairs the jury for the festival's main competition this year. The jury panel includes Tunisian director and screenwriter Kaouther Ben Hania, English composer Daniel Blumberg, Italian film scholar and professor Francesco Casetti, French director Xavier Giannoli, Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat, and Hong Kong director Johnnie To.
The Don't Worry Darling premiere controversy
Pugh delighted fans as she made a comeback to the film festival this week, four years after the drama surrounding the premiere of Don't Worry Darling in 2022. Vicious rumours of a bitter rift between director Olivia Wilde and Pugh overshadowed the initial release of the motion picture.
At the time, their reported feud was said to have begun as a result of Wilde's romantic relationship with singer and actor Harry Styles. Reports claimed that Pugh was allegedly upset that her director was hooking up with the singer while Wilde was still engaged to actor Jason Sudeikis.
Don't Worry Darling was a psychological thriller centered on women who were unknowingly made to become Fifties housewives at the behest of their boyfriends. Wilde specifically denied claims that she and Pugh had entered into a screaming match during filming.
Addressing the set rumors, Wilde stated: "I have never had a screaming match on my set. I was never not available on set. I wanted to be like, 'None of this is true.'"
The romantic relationship between Wilde and Styles lasted for nearly two years, with Wilde describing the bond as "loving and wonderful and joyful." However, the persistent rumours contaminated not only the public rollout of the film but also followed Wilde and Styles throughout their relationship.
Studio advice and viral Venice moments
Wilde, who directed the movie, later revealed that she was advised against speaking up about the speculation by the film studio and other involved parties. She acquiesced to the request at the time but later expressed deep regret over keeping silent.
Speaking to the publication The Cut earlier this year, Wilde recalled the guidance she received while shaking her head. She said: "I was told, 'Don't say a f**king word. Just go out there and smile.' I resent that, but it taught me it's not the way I want to handle things."
During the 2022 Venice Film Festival, Wilde insisted to journalists that Pugh had to skip the official Don't Worry Darling press conference due to a scheduling conflict. However, as the press conference took place, Pugh's stylist Rebecca Corbin Murray shared a video of the actress strutting around Venice.
Dressed in a stunning purple Valentino co-ord, Pugh paraded around her hotel terrace with a large Aperol Spritz in hand, making a cheers to the camera as she avoided the event drama. The clip quickly went viral across social media.
One social media user quipped while sharing the video: "Not Olivia Wilde saying Florence Pugh couldn’t make the Don’t Worry Darling press conference because of scheduling conflicts and her literally being in Venice at the same time with this energy." Another fan added: "florence pugh avoiding the conference and its drama at the venice film festival and enjoying a spritz. this is what i call iconic behaviour, no one is doing it like her."
