Demi Moore confronts her demons in ‘The Substance,’ bravely revealing the rawest aspects of her journey as an actress and as a woman.
In the challenging narrative of “The Substance,” Moore plays Elisabeth, an actress who finds herself unexpectedly dismissed from her fitness show at the age of 50, labeled too old to captivate audiences. Seeking to reclaim her youth and relevance, she resorts to a miraculous drug that generates a younger version of herself, embodied by Margaret Qualley. Yet this transformation demands a deeply unsettling sacrifice.
“It was an extremely challenging film, intensely raw and vulnerable, but incredibly liberating,” Moore shared with The Guardian.
She reflected, “Margaret had the pressure of looking impeccable. Meanwhile, I, as I degrade throughout the film, knew I wouldn’t be portrayed in an appealing light or softened by filters. It was actually empowering to embrace that.”
In a twisted existence where Moore and Qualley’s characters alternate control weekly, the dynamics shift when the younger self, Qualley, refuses to relinquish dominance. This rebellion challenges Moore’s persona, transforming her into a shadow of her former self.
For this challenging role, Moore employed unusual prosthetics and even faced the nakedness of full-frontal scenes, subjecting herself to profound personal body horror during production.
“To illustrate the intensity, my first week off was when it was just Margaret working, and I contracted shingles,” Moore recounted to the Los Angeles Times. “I lost around 20 pounds.”
Showing unwavering commitment to her character, she stated, “You must leave it all on the table. It demands that from you.”
“It was an extremely challenging film, intensely raw, very vulnerable to make, but at the same time liberating.”
The extremes both Moore and her character endure powerfully illustrate the film’s commentary on the relentless pursuit of perfection.
“What struck me was the brutal self-violence. It’s not just about external forces harming you; it’s about how we harm ourselves,” she explained to The Guardian. She noted that the film profoundly explores our inner dialogues, amplifying the theme of body horror.
In a conversation with the New York Times, Moore articulated that the inconspicuous pressure to conform to Hollywood and societal beauty standards is, in many ways, more insidious than what is portrayed on screen.
“It’s subtle. Your desirability as a woman is often measured through your fertility. That perception, though widely accepted, isn’t the truth,” she expressed.
Demi Moore, now 61, has spent decades in Hollywood, grappling with body image issues, despite winning accolades and wealth through her resilience and talent.
Her rise began in the ’80s with classics like “St. Elmo’s Fire,” expanding her cinematic prowess in titles like “Ghost” and “A Few Good Men.” In her 2019 memoir, “Inside Out,” Moore offers a candid glimpse into her struggles to maintain an ideal body, shaped by the weight of society’s expectations.
“The ’80s and ’90s created this environment that intensified perfectionism. Advertisements flaunted an unrealistic ideal—clean, flawless images that lacked diversity. I faced pressure to lose weight on many films before motherhood even entered the equation,” she communicated to the New York Times regarding “The Substance.”
She elaborated, “Those moments were humiliating, yet the real violence came from my self-inflicted torture—extreme workouts, meticulously measuring food, all because I tethered my worth to my appearance, granting others’ opinions unwarranted power over me.”
In a recent Variety interview, Moore underlined her insecurities drove her to accept provocative roles, notably in “Striptease” and appearing nude for Vanity Fair.
“People often misunderstand me. They think I adored my body,” she lamented. “In truth, I chased roles to confront and overcome my body insecurities.”
“With the Vanity Fair covers, it wasn’t because I loved my body; I aimed to liberate myself from a self-imposed captivity,” she articulated.
Though titles like “Striptease” and “G.I. Jane” made her the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, both films were critical and commercial disappointments that initiated a downward spiral in her career.
“What struck me was the brutal self-violence. It’s not just about external forces harming you; it’s about how we harm ourselves.”
“With ‘Striptease,’ I felt as though I betrayed women, and with ‘G.I. Jane,’ it felt as if I had failed men. The kneeling of my success amazed me. Why, at that peak, would I face such a downturn?” she mused during the New York Times interview.
Moore maintained, “I don’t take it personally. Anyone in my position, being the first to achieve that pay equality, might have faced backlash. But the shame stemming from my roles in stripping and the body was particularly poignant.”
The dialogue surrounding Moore’s body continued to echo in the early 2000s when she appeared in “Charlie’s Angels 2: Full Throttle,” flaunting a bikini at 40.
“Post ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ the narrative exploded around my bikini scene, emphasizing how I looked. I felt the absence of a space for me; I didn’t fit as someone youthful nor did I align with the maternal image they expected,” she discussed with Interview Magazine.
Though she carried on in her career, the past success seemed elusive. However, Moore doesn’t perceive “The Substance” as a comeback.
“It’s not that I ever left and returned,” she expressed to The Guardian. She reflected on whether her acting phase was over but concluded it wasn’t a complete ending.
“The Substance” has garnered extensive acclaim, culminating in a five-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival premiere this past May.
When sharing her thoughts on aging post-film, Moore shared with Variety, “It hasn’t significantly changed, but it deepened my appreciation for the woman I have become.”
“It’s not like I’ve really left to come back.”
She continued, “A pivotal theme throughout my career encompasses shattering preconceived notions. I’m authoring my own narrative, instead of having it dictated by my age. Who defines how someone should look or act? Today’s 60s are vastly different from what was expected in the past. There’s this exhilarating thrill in figuring it out as I traverse this path.”
She later reflected in “Today,” “I believe this is the most exhilarating time of my life. I have grown children, the independence to mold my path, and the excitement of not knowing where it leads.”
“The Substance” is now playing in theaters, inviting audiences to witness Moore’s compelling confrontation with her past and her ongoing evolution in the tapestry of Hollywood.
