'The Interview': Demi Moore Is Done With the Male Gaze

Demi Moore opens up about her latest movie role, connecting the fictional world of "The Substance" to her real-life experiences as an actress confronting the relentless pressures of aging in Hollywood.

Playing a woman struggling with the expectations and pressures of aging in Hollywood

In the film, Moore portrays Elizabeth Sparkle, an aging actress turned celebrity fitness instructor. Sparkle has dedicated her life to her career, only to be confronted with rejection—a feeling with which Moore deeply identifies. This resonance suggests that Moore sees parts of her own journey in Hollywood within the experiences of her character.

Embracing vulnerability and shedding the need for perfection in her performance

Moore also shares how liberating it was to play a role without the pressure of portraying a "perfect" image. She speaks about finding beauty in her character's rawness and imperfections, embracing vulnerability in her performance, and shedding the often-demanding need for perfection that's typically placed on women in the industry.

Challenging the male-centric ideals of female beauty and desirability

"The Substance" not only criticizes the external pressures placed on women but also examines how these societal expectations, especially concerning aging and fertility, are in ...

Demi Moore reflects on the unique pressures and expectations she encountered throughout her successful yet tightly scrutinized career in Hollywood.

Encountering overt and implicit biases against older actresses

Moore touches on Hollywood's unspoken perception that a female actor's desirability ends with her fertility, highlighting a common bias against aging actresses. She recalls being told at the age of 50 that her desirability and career would effectively be over, a sentiment reflecting ageist attitudes prevalent within the industry.

Facing criticism and judgment for her choices, from her high-profile roles to advocating for pay equity

Demi Moore discusses the substantial backlash she faced for roles in films like "Striptease" and "G.I. Jane," which defied gender norms and encountered resistance from various perspectives. The criticism was particularly intense because "Striptease" delved into issues of the body, leading to what Moore views as undue shaming despite the broader significance of her achievement in pay equity for women.

When Moore became the highest-paid actress after her role in "Striptease," she interpreted the sharp criticism that followed as an attempt to diminish her irrespective of her actual performance, seeing it as a broader betrayal to women. Additionally, her desire to continue in action films post "G.I. Jane" was met with dismissive attitudes from within her professional circle.

Reclaiming her power and redefining expectations about aging women in entertainment

Moore experienced a spiritual awakening and a shift toward accepting her natural body size after the extreme physical manipulation for her role in "G.I. Jane." This awakening led her to question why it was controversial to depict a pregnant woman on the cover of Vanity Fair, challenging the notion that ...

Actress Demi Moore shares candid insights into her personal struggles with addiction, sobriety, and ultimately achieving emotional health.

Becoming sober at a young age during the filming of "St. Elmo's Fire"

Moore credits a form of divine intervention during the filming of "St. Elmo's Fire" for initiating her journey to sobriety. She was sent to treatment and faced with a choice between her career and her life—she chose the film as it was her only sense of self-worth at the time. The fear of losing her acting career and the director’s condition that she remain sober to stay in the film kickstarted her sobriety journey.

Experiencing a relapse after nearly 20 years of sobriety

Despite nearly two decades of sobriety, Moore experienced a detour, which meant a relapse. She describes the internal conflict she faced—feeling like she should know better and the desire to prove she could manage her addiction. She confesses the reality that managing addiction is not within her capabilities, discussing her realization that experiencing the world as a sober person is more natural for her, as she has been sober for the majority of her adult life.

Achieving emotional sobriety and learning to regulate her responses to life's challenges

Moore attributes emotional sobriety to improving the quality of her life, a process that began with surrendering the idea that she was in control and accepting herself exac ...