Florence Pugh has said she believes it is 'very hard and 'exhausting' being a young woman in Hollywood. 

The actress, 29, made her acting debut in the 2014 drama film The Falling when she was 18 and has become an in-demand star in the years since.

Speaking on the Reign With Josh Smith podcast, Florence said she came into the entertainment business around the time of the Me Too movement and so felt it was important to always stand up for herself. 

She said: 'It's very hard. It's exhausting as well. It's really, really tiring. 

'Young women in this industry have so much to fight for and to protect and to defend and then to shout about. It's really, really hard. 

'It's an experience and it does make you claim yourself. It makes you have to figure yourself out…   

'Now I get to just look after myself, I look after my heart and that's where I am right now. I wouldn't have changed anything. I'm really proud of the things that I stood up for. 

'The time that I came into the industry was Times Up and Me Too and navigating, understanding and learning from women as well was really important. 

'Now we're in a time which is definitely getting better for women but it doesn't mean that you don't constantly have to keep on fighting for things that you believe are correct… 

'I've always been proud of the way that I defended myself whether that's on Instagram or in interviews. I've always been proud of the way that I'm not scared of speaking up for myself.'

Florence added she has also had to manage her mental health well given some of the intense roles she has taken on.

Recalling the horror film Midsommar, the actress admitted she felt like she had 'abused' herself with the intense nature of the part. 

She explained: 'Protecting myself is something that I've had to learn how to do. There have been some roles that I've given too much to, and I've been broken for a long while afterwards. 

'Like when I did Midsommar, I definitely felt like I abused myself in a way in the places that I got myself to. The nature of figuring these things out is you need to go, 'all right, well I can't do that again cause that was too much.' 

'But I also then look at that performance and I'm really proud of what I did and I'm proud of what came out of me. So I don't regret it.' 

Florence also discussed shaving her head for her role in We Live In Time where she played a woman with ovarian cancer opposite Andrew Garfield.

She said:'If I couldn't have shaved my head I wouldn't have accepted this movie. I think it is so important to do it. 

'If you're lending yourself to a story like this, If you're lending yourself to a cancer story like this, I couldn't have not done it. 

'The scene was always a very beautiful scene… This couple were making it a beautiful act that their daughter could remember and it didn't have to be a sad thing. The Sun was gonna come out. They were gonna take a chair outside. 

'They were gonna have a biscuit and a tea and they were all going to shave Mummy's hair and they were gonna collect it. I added the collecting because I wanted to actually keep my hair this time.'

Florence revealed she still has a box of her hair she cut for the film.

She said: 'I've cut my hair a few times and I always feel really sad when I haven't taken it with me… The whole day was magical. I really wasn't scared or intimidated by it. 

'Andrew was obviously slightly intimidated because he was worried about messing it up… I said to him, 'we're going to shave my head, that's what it's going to be and it's going to be a beautiful moment.' 

'It was such a special day… I've still got it [the box of hair].'