Critics are calling Demi Moore‘s turn in “The Substance” a career-best performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, a former A-lister past her prime and drawn to the opportunity presented by a mysterious new drug. All it takes is one injection and she is reborn – temporarily – as the gorgeous, twentysomething Sue (Margaret Qualley). The only rule? Time needs to be split: exactly one week in one body, then one week in the other. No exceptions. Easy, right?
The satirical horror film was written, directed and co-produced by Coralie Fargeat, and is now MUBI’s biggest box office hit ever, grossing over $10 million stateside and nearly $20 million worldwide. Those numbers may sound like chump change after pundits referred to “Joker: Folie à Deux’s” $37 million opening as “a flop,” but the indie movie from MUBI had a much smaller budget and puts the distributor on the map like never before.
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IndieWire calls it “An instant horror classic. The most sickly entertaining theatrical experience of the year.” A Vogue review said, “A total knockout. Without a doubt the performance of Demi Moore’s career. Had viewers gasping, shrieking, laughing, and cheering all the way through.” Variety wrote, “Jaw-dropping. Coralie Fargeat works with the flair of a grindhouse Kubrick in a weirdly fun, cathartically grotesque fusion of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Showgirls.”
SEE ‘The Substance’ reviews: Demi Moore is ‘astonishing,’ but can body horror break through on awards stage?
With Moore back in the spotlight, she’s rising up the ranks in a highly-contested Best Drama Actress race at the 2025 Golden Globes. She’s currently ranked fourth in Gold Derby’s odds, with six nominees making the cut. The projected field also includes Angelina Jolie (“Maria”), Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”), Saoirse Ronan (“The Outrun”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”) and Julianne Moore (“The Room Next Door”).
Demi Moore has had a rocky relationship with critics throughout her career, garnering nine Razzie Award nominations and four wins (most recently Worst Supporting Actress for “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” in 2004). But she’s also had her share of kudos, including Golden Globe bids for “Ghost” (1991) and “If These Walls Could Talk” (1997), along with additional nominations at the Emmys (“If These Walls Could Talk”), DGA Awards (“Five”), and Critics Choice and SAG Awards for “Bobby” (2007). As one of America’s favorite stars, she won two People’s Choice Awards in 1993 and 1996 and even snagged an MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (“Indecent Proposal” in 1994).
This year the actress has seen a career resurgence with a highly praised performance in the FX limited series “Feud: Capote vs. The Swans” and a heartfelt appearance in “Brats,” a documentary directed by fellow Brat Packer Andrew McCarthy. She was also named the 2024 Career Achievement in Acting recipient at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
In “The Substance,” Moore is once again at the top of her game and looks poised to return as a Golden Globe nominee for the first time in more than 25 years.
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