Florence Pugh has hit back at critics of her relationship with fellow actor Zach Braff, who is more than 20 years her senior.

It’s fair to say that the 24-year-old is on something of a roll in her career, winning praise last year for her performance in the surreal horror Midsommar, and an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Amy March in Little Women.

However, her personal life has also had people talking in recent times, namely because of her relationship with the 45-year-old Scrubs star.

In a new interview with Elle magazine, Florence has responded to her detractors, insisting that strangers on social media “have no right” to comment on her private life.

“I have the right to hang out and be with and go out with anyone I want to,” she said.

“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.”

She continued: “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?”

The British star is currently on lockdown with Zach in Los Angeles, and when sharing a photo of him in honour of his birthday, she specifically disabled comments on the post.

Read Florence’s full interview in the new issue of Elle UK, on sale now.