Demi Moore exercised and dieted rigorously while starring in her earlier movies. Now, she’s comfortable with her appearance, but occasional self-doubt slips in. Comparisons of her looks from a few years ago to now aim to discredit her claims of never undergoing cosmetic surgery. In her latest movie, Demi Moore addresses themes like aging, self-acceptance, self-hate, self-esteem, and more. The actress is no stranger to criticism about her looks, and while she has faced it before, a doctor recently added to the scrutiny.
Moore is an actress, director, and producer born on November 11, 1962, in Roswell, New Mexico. She is well-known for starring in films such as 1990’s “Ghost,” 1993’s “Indecent Proposal,” and 2003’s “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.” As she approaches her 62nd birthday in November 2024, Moore seems to be aging in reverse. Her latest role, in 2024’s psychological horror “The Substance,” showcased her youthful looks. Ironically, the two-hour, 21-minute movie centers on a celebrity, Elisabeth Sparkle, whose fame fades with age. She then takes an illegal, cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger and improved version of herself.
The substance transforms Sparkle into a self-absorbed but youthful version of her older self, who then threatens to destroy them both. French writer and director Coralie Fargeat shared what kind of actress was necessary for this role.
She explained, “The part needed to be embodied by an actress who was a symbol herself.” Fargeat noted that she recognized, “Those kinds of actresses would be frightened by jumping into something that confronts them with their own phobias. “What made Moore ideal, however, was that she’d already faced the fears her character battles, including the self-hatred and turmoil they bring. The director felt that the actress was suited for the role because “she has processed all that in a peaceful way.”
Yet, there are contrasts between the star and Sparkle; the character strips away layers of herself seeking men’s approval, while at 61, Moore is at ease with herself. Fargeat emphasized that the film taught an important lesson: chasing something you believe is better can lead to losing what you already have. Moore also explained her motivation for taking the role. In an interview, she said, “What you described is what moved me when I read the script, because it was such a unique way to be exploring this issue of aging, of societal conditioning, of what I also see as the pressure of the male-idealized woman that we as women have bought into.”
She appreciated seeing a physical representation of the self-inflicted violence in our thoughts, as people often attack themselves and distort things. The actress believes there is power in understanding that we have the option to make different choices for ourselves. To keep things light, she added, “And for those who aren’t looking for such a deep message, it’s just entertaining.” Despite her work confronting her body image fears, she is still human and sometimes judges herself harshly. In the past, she’s been accused of altering her body through cosmetic surgery.
In a recent interview about her latest film, Moore was taken aback when her stylist, Brad Goreski, sent her photos via text. The actress showed her humanity when she tensed up while viewing the images on her iPad. When her interviewer inquired if anything was wrong, Moore replied, “I’m not perfect. Sometimes I’ll look at a photo and think, ‘I look old,’ or whatever.” Yet, she shared how she copes, saying, “But I’ve learned to deal with it.”