Florence Pugh Blasts COVID Critic With Scathing Response Following Nick Cordero Tribute

Little Women star Florence Pugh has clapped back at a commenter who accused her of “spreading propaganda” in her Sunday night tribute to Broadway star Nick Cordero. Cordero, 41, passed away over the weekend following a three-month-long battle with coronavirus complications. After news of his death broke, Pugh took to Instagram to share a video of one of Cordero’s final Broadway performances, writing that he had passed away after “fighting extremely hard for 90 days” and also encouraging people to “take this virus seriously” and follow guidelines meant to slow the spread of the virus.

While most fans reacted to the post with messages of support and tributes of their own, one fan was far more critical. In a comment, someone slammed Pugh’s caption, writing that “Covid doesn’t last 90 days there is zero evidence of that.” That same person went on to write that Pugh should “stop spreading propaganda.”

It didn’t take long for the actress to hit back. Responding, Pugh recommended that the commenter “should think before you post something so horrid” and said that “covid affects everyone completely differently.” She went on to explain that Cordero “was positive and then after a few weeks was negative” for the virus, which doctors initially believed had simply been pneumonia. Reflecting on his more than 90 days in the intensive care unit, Pugh told the commenter that “despite being negative his body dealt with the horrible aftermath like many people suffering from this virus.” She concluded her clap back by encouraging her critic to “Read. Learn. Help.”

As Pugh had pointed out, even after testing negative for the virus, Cordero continued to battle for his health while remaining in the hospital. Although he eventually woke from his come, he remained on a ventilator. He suffered a drastic weight loss, blood clotting issues, and a number of lung infections that led doctors to determine that he would need a double lung transplant. On Sunday, he lost his battle, his wife, Amanda Kloots, sharing on Instagram that the 41-year-old passed away “surrounded in love by his family, singing and praying as he gently left this earth.”

Pugh was just one of dozens of celebrities to react to news of his death. A Broadway star who had earned a Tony Award nomination for his role in Bullets Over Broadway, Cordero had a lasting impact on Broadway, with many of those who knew him paying tribute to him on social media. Tributes also poured in from Cordero’s fans, who had followed along his health battle as his wife posted frequent updates to social media, rallying their support.