Since Demi Moore made her screen debut as a teenager in a soap opera in 1981, she has reached megastardom, built a fortune — at one point, she was the highest-paid actress globally — and became a focal point for intense (and frequently critical) discussions surrounding women’s bodies. On Thursday, at the age of 62, she achieved her first Oscar nomination for best actress for her role in “The Substance,” the body horror satire that conveys a feminist theme. It’s a surprising milestone for a woman whom a producer had dismissed as “a popcorn actress.”
Moore’s portrayal of a waning celebrity looking for a shortcut to regain her youth has garnered her some of the finest reviews in her career, along with a Golden Globe win that certainly boosted her prospects with the academy, particularly when she delivered a heartfelt and powerful speech. Clearly taken aback at the event earlier this month, she observed that she had been in the industry for over four decades, with few honors to her name. She stated that the recognition provided “the opportunity to engage in something I am passionate about and be reminded of my sense of belonging.”
Moore initially gained recognition from ’80s Brat Pack films such as “St. Elmo’s Fire,” and received a Globe nomination in 1991 for the hit romance “Ghost.” Blockbusters like “Indecent Proposal” and “Striptease,” which earned her a then-record salary of $12.5 million, combined with her marriage to fellow actor Bruce Willis, transformed her into a Hollywood icon in the ’90s.
However, she stated at the Globes that the view of her as just a commercial artist, represented by the producer’s remark, “eroded me over time.” She had believed she might be finished with acting, but what she described as “the magical, daring, brave, unconventional, utterly wild script” for “The Substance” drew her back in.
The audaciously gory “The Substance,” by French director Coralie Fargeat, was an unexpected Oscar candidate; academy voters usually avoid violence. However, this year was different: The film is competing for best picture, and Fargeat received nominations for both best director and screenplay.
“The Substance” depicts Moore’s Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-list celebrity turned TV fitness show host, who faces outright rejection from the industry due to her age. Introducing the enigmatic elixir mentioned in the title, enabling Elisabeth to give rise to a younger, more alluring version of herself (Margaret Qualley). Grotesque forms are plentiful, both symbolic and corporeal.
Fargeat sought an intense, nearly ludicrous degree of shock value, alongside an examination of beauty norms. “‘The Substance’ explores what we, as women, must adhere to and its effects on our social lives,” she mentioned, prior to the film receiving the best screenplay award at the Cannes Film Festival last year.
Moore’s performance appeared to acknowledge her own persona and history as an object of desire, simultaneously idealized and criticized for her appearance. (Notice particularly: the outrage surrounding her 1991 Vanity Fair cover, featuring her pregnant and nude, photographed by Annie Leibovitz.)
In her popular 2019 memoir, “Inside Out,” she detailed how distorted her self-perception became, revealing that she struggled with disordered eating and excessive exercise for many years. “I was placing all my worth in how my body appeared, focusing on its looks and letting others’ opinions hold more weight than my own,” she stated in an interview last year.
One reason why “The Substance” deeply resonated with her was explained by her from the Globes stage. “During times when we feel we’re not intelligent enough or attractive enough, or thin enough or accomplished enough, or simply just not enough.” A woman told me, “Just understand, you will never be sufficient.” “However, you can understand your value if you simply stop using the measuring stick.”
