Florence Pugh Takes ‘East of Eden’ Into Darker Territory

After blowing us all away at the London photocall, Florence Pugh was back on the red carpet for the East of Eden premiere, held at BAFTA this evening.

If the photocall gave us a softer Florence, this premiere took a much darker turn, which makes sense considering the material. The Netflix adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel explores the darker side of the California dream through a story of family dysfunction, betrayal and the battle between good and evil, with Florence playing the formidable Cathy Ames.

Her Rodarte Fall 2026 gown felt perfectly suited to that shift. The collection was inspired by Dario Argento’s 1977 supernatural horror film Suspiria, so dark romance was already embedded in its DNA.

Taffeta can be unforgiving on the red carpet, but the abundance of ruffles and tiers works in its favour here. Instead of us seeing the flaws often associated with the fabric, Rodarte uses it to create the shape and volume that make this gown so compelling.

I wouldn’t call this method dressing, but the mood certainly aligns with East of Eden. The blood-red lip takes things a little further, as does the matching red stone nestled among the diamonds of her Bvlgari necklace.

It’s also a complete contrast to the New York screening, where florals and a summery palette set the tone. This feels like the arrival of autumn: darker, moodier and far better suited to the more sinister side of East of Eden.

After these completely different outings, I’m already intrigued by where Florence is taking this press tour next.

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