Zach Braff and Florence Pugh's Relationship Timeline: A Look Back

Oscar-nominated actress and cooking aficionado Florence Pugh and Emmy-nominated actor Zach Braff took their time making their relationship official. Still, fans and internet sleuths alike were in on the love story even before the two started appearing on each other's Instagram in fall 2019.

While their 21-year age gap became social media fodder, Pugh and Braff tried not to let the criticism get in the way of their relationship. Together, the couple enjoyed a trip to Disneyland, unlikely family friendships, and a very cute dog. However, the Don't Worry Darling star and Scrubs alum eventually called it quits in August 2022 after low-key dating for about three years. Despite their breakup, Braff expressed that he would like to continue working with his ex, who has appeared in a few of his films and whom he has perpetually praised for her acting ability.

Here's a look back at Florence Pugh and Zach Braff's relationship.

August 2018: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh first meet

Braff cast Pugh in his short film, In the Time It Takes to Get There, in the summer of 2018. At that time, he also started to "like" posts on her Instagram feed — which is definitely the first step in any modern-day love story. If that wasn't enough, Braff posted that Pugh was a "movie star" on August 23, 2018, in a since-deleted tweet.

April 12, 2019: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh are first spotted together

In the Time It Takes to Get There was officially released in spring 2019. Shortly after its premiere on April 3 on YouTube, Braff and his muse, Pugh, were spotted together in New York City holding hands. The sighting came after Braff split with model Taylor Bagley, whom he dated for five years. As you can imagine, Twitter users were on the case.

June 7, 2019: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh's brother hang out

Braff posted a photo with singer and Game of Thrones actor Toby Sebastian. No big deal, right? Well, he happens to be Pugh's older brother.

August 4, 2019: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh attend a wedding

The two were spotted on the dance floor at a wedding in the U.K. They also posted vacation photos from Spain on Instagram on August 17, with Pugh relaxing in front of a picturesque backdrop. Coincidentally, Braff posted a pic of himself surrounded by a serene background very similar to Pugh's. While their relationship wasn't yet official, rumors swirled around the suspected couple.

October 10, 2019: Zach Braff posts Florence Pugh in a group photo on Instagram

Pugh made her debut on Braff's Instagram feed, albeit in a group shot. His caption? "People I love." 

That's quite the statement. 

A source told Page Six, "It was very clear to me that they're a couple."

November 7, 2019: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh go Instagram official (kind of)

They made their official Instagram debut a month later (still in a group photo). Braff shared a snapshot from a day at Disney California Adventure Park. That same month, they both attended the Los Angeles premiere of Marriage Story, thought they weren't photographed together. The same thing happened at the premiere of Pugh's film Little Women in December 2019. She and Braff went to the New York City premiere. However, when no photos surfaced of the pair, fans felt robbed of the red carpet debut they desperately wanted. 

December 28, 2019: Florence Pugh confirms relationship with Zach Braff in Instagram clapback

An official confirmation wouldn't come until the end of the month. After Braff commented on Pugh's photo of herself in front of an L.A. deli on Instagram with a princess emoji, a troll replied, "You're 44 years old." 

In defense of her relationship and the couple's age difference, Pugh clapped back, "and yet he got it." 

January 15, 2020: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh celebrate her Oscar nomination

In January 2020, Pugh earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Amy March in Greta Gerwig's film adaptation of Little Women. People reported that the English actress celebrated the nod with a Champagne toast from Braff. They were also reportedly spotted hugging and kissing. 

Interestingly, she walked the award show's red carpet in February with her parents while Braff was nowhere to be seen. Still, the couple had an upcoming project together. According to People, Pugh was set to appear in Braff's yet-to-be-released film The Secret Ingredients of Rocket Cola.

March 2020: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh are spotted at Whole Foods in L.A.

Pugh and Braff were seen prepping for the coronavirus lockdown at an L.A. Whole Foods. Pugh was sitting on the back of Braff's motorcycle, per People.

April 2020: Florence Pugh wishes Zach Braff a happy birthday

Both Pugh and Braff posted on Instagram about a foster puppy named Billie that they kept safe and sound during the coronavirus pandemic. Billie made an appearance in Pugh's celebratory birthday post for Braff.

"Today we shall smile wider than the clouds are grey," she wrote alongside a photo of a sleeping Braff and Billie. "April 6th and we're celebrating hard! Happy Birthday wishes, boogies and cheers for this special person. Raise those bubbles and jiggle!" 

Almost immediately, she had to defend her relationship from online critics.

On April 8, Pugh said in an IGTV post, "On Monday, I posted a photo in honor of Zach's birthday, and I wrote a birthday message underneath. Within about eight minutes of the photo being posted, I had about 70 percent of the comments hurling abuse and being horrid — basically bullying someone on my page. 

She added, "It is the first time in my entire Instagram life that I've had to turn off the comments on my page. I've never been an Instagram page that encourages that. I've never been an Instagram page that likes that toxic vibe."

"The abuse that you throw at him is abuse that you are throwing at me, and I don't want those followers. I do not want to have to be protecting my comments every time I post a picture of him. I really hope that I can continue this relationship with a lot of you," she finished.

February 26, 2021: Zach Braff casts Florence Pugh in another film

In late February, Deadline reported that Pugh was set to star in Braff's directorial effort A Good Person. The film follows Pugh's character in the years after a "fatal accident" and also features Morgan Freeman. This wouldn't be the first collaboration for Braff and Freeman — the former directed the 2017 comedy Going in Style, in which Freeman starred.

April 6, 2021: Florence Pugh celebrates Zach Braff's birthday on Instagram

Pugh wished Braff a happy birthday — and revealed a very unique nickname. He celebrated his 46th birthday on April 6, 2021.

"Happy Birthday chicken, odd shoes is a good look," she wrote in her caption, referencing Braff's mismatched shoes and giving fans a new way to refer to the Wish I Was Here director and writer.

August 2022: Zach Braff and Florence Pugh break up

After months of speculation, Pugh confirmed that she and Braff had gone their separate ways. In a 2022 interview with Harper's Bazaar, she explained why they kept the breakup quiet. 

"We've been trying to do this separation without the world knowing because it's been a relationship that everybody has an opinion on," she told the publication. "We just felt something like this would really do us the benefit of not having millions of people telling us how happy they are that we're not together. So we've done that."

Pugh added, "I automatically get a lumpy throat when I talk about it." 

She did not expand on the details or timing of the split.