Demi Moore trying to find the beauty in her new horror film, The substance.
In the critically acclaimed project, Moore plays Elisabeth Sparkle, an actress who was fired from her TV fitness show for being too old. Hoping to regain her youth, she takes a black market drug called The Substance to create a younger, alternate version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley.
However, things take a horrific turn when the two women fight for time in the spotlight.
“It’s a powerful shared experience,” Moore said during his appearance at Late Night with Seth Meyers in September 2024. “It’s about aging and the male perspective of the idealized woman that women have adopted.”
The actress warned that some scenes in the blood-soaked horror film weren’t exactly a feast for the eyes. But before the film officially hit theaters, Moore gave fans a taste of what made the movie so powerful.
From an unforgettable scene with shrimp to nearly 10 hours in the mask chair, there is more than meets the eye The substance:
How has Demi Moore’s character changed?
During recording The substanceMoore recalled sitting in a makeup chair for several hours, performing grotesque prosthetic work to transform her face and body. “I sat in the chair for between 6 and 9.5 hours and had a good 2 hours to take the makeup off,” she said Seth Meyers“It’s much easier to read on paper, but I’m so glad I have this experience.”
In a separate interview with Weekly entertainmentMoore mentioned nearly 14 prosthetic pieces resting on her face in some scenes.
“It’s stuck,” she said. “You have to be just as careful when you take it off, if not more careful, so you don’t damage the skin.”
How is “The Substance” different from other horror films?
Moore quickly became interested in the director Coralie Fargeat‘s latest project because of its unique story angle. “What really impressed me was the harsh violence against itself,” said Morre The Guardian“It’s not about what is done to you, it’s about what we do to ourselves.”
Traditional horror, she said, merely instills fear and terror, “whereas the exploration of our psyche, our inner dialogue, has a depth that is enhanced by body horror.”
How did Demi Moore feel while filming the lipstick scene?
In a memorable scene from The substanceMoore’s character prepares for a date by putting on makeup in front of a mirror. After some thought, she deliberately tries to wipe the makeup off.
“Emotionally, this idea that many of us have experienced is that we try to make something better and then make it worse and worse. For me, that is one of the most heartbreaking moments in the whole film,” she said on CBS Sunday Morning“And it took at least 15 shots each time. And at the end my face was sore.”
Separate speaking with diversityMoore recalled a moment when Fargeat wanted to do one more shot. “The makeup artist came in,” the actress recalled, “and said, ‘We’re done.'”
How did Demi Moore react to criticism from a network boss?
During the film, actors Dennis QuaidThe network head sits down with Moore’s character and asks how useful women are when they go through menopause. It’s an experience that hurts, even if it’s just for the cameras.
“If you look at history, that’s how it’s been in terms of the perception of women,” Moore shared diversity. “During the childbearing years, you were more sexually desirable. Once women were past that point, they were relegated to other roles. The good news is that this is changing. I did an interview with Michelle Yeohand I think she’s a great inspiration. She’s breaking through and showing that there are different places you can go and that desirability isn’t tied to anything other than your own being.”
What was the scariest scene for Demi Moore?
Although Moore is the star of the The substanceshe quickly remembered a scene with Quaid.
“I want to warn everyone: The scene where Dennis eats the shrimp – which you didn’t see – is by far the most brutal scene in the whole film,” she said on Late Night with Seth Meyers“I think he ate 4 pounds of shrimp and ripped the heads off with sound effects.”
Before she could finish her thought, she playfully choked into the camera while Meyers laughed along.
The substance is now in theaters.