Florence Pugh has spent the past several years becoming one of the most recognizable actors of her generation, but some of the images that continue to follow her career are far removed from premieres and film sets. In one candid beach outing in Malibu, the British actress was photographed in a bright orange one-piece swimsuit while spending a relaxed day by the water with Zach Braff and their dog…

Billie.

The photos may have resurfaced in 2026, but the beach day itself dates back to April 2021, when Pugh and Braff were still together. The outing took place around Braff’s birthday, and contemporary coverage described the pair enjoying the sand and surf with Billie. The setting was casual, the styling was simple, and the pictures offered a rare glimpse of Pugh away from the controlled atmosphere of Hollywood promotion.

A low-key Malibu beach day

Pugh wore an orange swimsuit with her hair tied up in a loose bun, accessorizing with sunglasses and layered gold necklaces. Rather than appearing dressed for a public event, she looked prepared for an ordinary day outdoors. Billie stayed close by as Pugh moved along the beach, turning the paparazzi photos into an unexpectedly domestic snapshot of a young actor whose career was rapidly expanding at the time.

The outing came during a major period in Pugh’s rise. She had already earned widespread acclaim for films including Lady Macbeth, Midsommar and Little Women, with the latter bringing her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She was also preparing to reach an even larger global audience as Yelena Belova in Marvel Studios’ Black Widow.

Against that backdrop, the Malibu images stood out because there was so little performance in them. Pugh was simply walking on the sand, watching her dog and spending time with Braff. The candid nature of the photographs made them feel worlds apart from the highly styled fashion shoots and red-carpet appearances that were becoming increasingly common as her profile grew.

The outing coincided with Zach Braff’s birthday

Contemporary reports placed the beach trip around Braff’s 46th birthday in April 2021. Pugh also marked the occasion publicly on Instagram, sharing an affectionate tribute that highlighted Braff’s humor, generosity and enthusiasm for life. She mentioned Billie as part of the celebration, noting that the dog had entered their lives around Braff’s birthday the previous year.

The couple had begun drawing public attention in 2019 and largely kept the details of their relationship private. Their 21-year age difference attracted persistent online commentary, something Pugh directly pushed back against. She repeatedly made clear that she did not want strangers policing who she chose to date, and her responses became an important part of the public conversation surrounding the relationship.

The beach pictures reflect the quieter side of that period. One image shows Pugh gesturing as Billie moves toward her across the sand, capturing a playful moment rather than a carefully composed celebrity pose. Other coverage from the same outing reported that Pugh and Braff spent time in the water and relaxed together during the birthday celebration.

Florence Pugh and Zach Braff later went separate ways

It is important to place the resurfaced photographs in their original context. Pugh and Braff are no longer a couple. Pugh confirmed in 2022 that they had ended their relationship privately, explaining that they had tried to separate without turning the breakup into a public spectacle.

The two nevertheless continued to speak respectfully about one another and remained professionally connected. Braff wrote and directed A Good Person, released in 2023, with Pugh in the lead role. Both discussed the creative collaboration positively, demonstrating that their professional relationship did not simply disappear when their romance ended.

That context makes the Malibu photos less a current romance story than a snapshot of a particular moment in both of their lives. They capture Pugh just before Black Widow introduced her to an enormous new audience and before her career expanded further through projects such as Don’t Worry Darling, Oppenheimer and Dune: Part Two.

A star whose profile kept rising

Even in a simple candid photo, Pugh is easy to recognize because her rise has been unusually rapid. Her performances have ranged from intense psychological drama to superhero spectacle and large-scale historical filmmaking, allowing her to build a career without being confined to one genre.

Her public image has also been shaped by a willingness to speak openly when she feels that celebrity coverage crosses into unfair judgment. Whether discussing intrusive commentary about her relationships or pushing back on distorted narratives created from paparazzi photographs, Pugh has often insisted on keeping control over her own story.