Florence Pugh says Kevin Feige gave her the creative freedom to shape Yelena Belova into the character fans know in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The remarks came while the actor rewatched scenes from her career, including Little Women and Dune: Part Two, and looked back on how each role came together. An evening of cooking dinner turned into the origin story of a character who nearly went in a different direction.

As most characters are born in script meetings, Yelena Belova was nearly born boring, until a pot of dinner and one accent changed everything.

Kevin Feige gave Florence Pugh room to reshape Yelena Belova in Black Widow

Kevin Feige let Florence Pugh shape Yelena Belova her way. Pugh debuted the role in Black Widow in 2021. She returned in Hawkeye and Thunderbolts. She also appeared in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

“I had more freedom in creating lines, moments,” Pugh said.

She then added, “And it’s just so fascinating when you’re building a character and you’re given the space to,” which shows the trust Feige placed in her.

During rehearsals, Pugh read Yelena in an English accent, and the character came across as miserable. A Russian accent tried at home over dinner suddenly made Yelena funny and dry. Pugh pitched the change to director Cate Shortland, and phone videos sent to Feige earned quick approval. That trust now has a payoff, since Feige hinted to Vanity Fair that Yelena will anchor the ensemble film Avengers: Doomsday this December.

While Yelena needed a Russian accent to find her voice, Pugh needs something simpler to do her best work, and that is a set without any chaos.

Florence Pugh explains why calm sets matter

Florence Pugh told Vanity Fair that she dislikes messy sets and wants people to come to work and appreciate the luxury of doing it. She explained that moods shift on set when someone blocks that, which leaves people feeling uncared for. The remarks appear alongside East of Eden, the seven-episode Netflix limited series that premiered on October 1, where she plays Cathy Ames.

Pugh values stability in her personal life, too. She described her relationship with Finn Cole as steady and safe, a contrast to the complicated women she gravitates toward playing on screen. That interest makes Cathy Ames a natural fit, especially since Zoe Kazan spent years building East of Eden around her perspective. Pugh also enjoys defending her characters, flaws and all. That instinct came in handy with Yelena Belova, as Kevin Feige gave her the creative freedom to shape the character’s quirks and steer her toward the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s funniest moments.

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