What Florence Pugh Thinks Happened To Dani After Midsommar's Disturbing Ending
Few filmmakers have been able to shake up the horror genre in recent years the way that Ari Aster has. After the writer-director released his shockingly horrific first feature, "Hereditary," the auteur followed it up with a different kind of horror in the form of "Midsommar."
Following a group of college students on a trip to Sweden to witness a secret ritual, the film juxtaposes scenes of disturbing violence and mutilation with bright sunlit vistas and gorgeous flowery meadows. However, "Midsommar" was also a nightmare for many due to its depictions of a toxic relationship between Dani (Florence Pugh) and Christian (Jack Reynor).
While Christian is burned alive by the cult at the end of the film as Dani seemingly descends into madness, Pugh has her own thoughts about what might have happened to Dani after the events of "Midsommar." "I always thought that she survived," Pugh told the Off Menu podcast. "I don't think she's probably ever going to come back because to come back from a psychotic break, you have to have deep, deep treatment and work that obviously those people don't have."
Florence Pugh was worried about Dani but thinks she'll be okay
Dani is the only survivor of the outsiders in "Midsommar," but at the tail end of the film, she has fully embraced the cult, joining them and smiling as the screams of the dying echo from the burning hut nearby. It's a disquieting conclusion to an already upsetting film, and that wasn't lost on Florence Pugh, who turned in one of the best performances of her career for the film.
"I remember when I left, I said goodbye to everyone, and when I was on the plane... I remember looking down and feeling immense guilt," the actor recalled. "I felt so guilty because I felt like I'd left her in that field in that state, and it was so weird." Pugh has proven again and again that she's a terrific performer, and this level of investment that she puts into her characters is probably part of the reason for this.
Though Pugh still seems a little haunted by Dani's fate in "Midsommar," she ultimately thinks that her character is going to be okay as a part of the cult. "I think she's fine, I do think Pelle would look after her," she said of the character who invited Dani into the cult. "I don't think he's gonna abuse her or hurt her. I do think that the community appreciates her being there."
While "Midsommar" already blended the comedic with the horrific in a way that was genuinely shocking, Ari Aster's upcoming film "Beau is Afraid" looks to be melding its tones in an even more fascinating manner. Whether it will be as grueling for audiences as his previous films, however, remains to be seen.