Demi Moore’s Golden Globe-winning turn in The Substance has redefined expectations, making waves in the 2025 awards season. The 2025 Oscar-nominated body horror film is packed with shocking transformations, but its most unsettling moment isn’t about gore—it’s about insecurity and self-doubt. The now-viral bathroom mirror scene has struck a nerve with audiences, and, during an interview, the G.I. Jane star explained why she embraced its raw intensity.
It was during a chat with CBS Mornings that Demi Moore opened up about the raw vulnerability required to bring some of the harder emotional scenes to life. As explained in a clip from the interview, which was shared to the talk show's official Instagram account, the veteran actress admitted that she knew from the start that the work wouldn’t be glamorous. The Ghost actress shared:
I knew going in that not only was this not going to be glamorous, but it was going to be accentuating those things that we prefer for everybody not to see. But at the end of it, on the other side, my hope, and I feel the gift in it, was that in sharing that level of vulnerability, giving that permission, being allowing of it, was personally liberating and I hope, in some ways, has been so for others.
When it comes to some of the roles they choose, actors put themselves in positions that require them to be vulnerable. It goes without saying that this was definitely the case for the lead actress of this acclaimed horror film. The A Few Good Men alum acknowledged how difficult the aforementioned scene was to film, describing the physical and emotional toll of doing multiple takes until her face was raw. She continued:
Because I think we’ve also all been there—where you’re just trying to make something a little bit better, and it only gets worse, to the point where it’s completely defeating. And I think one of the things for me in that whole sequence is, the reality is, no matter what she tries to do on the outside, it wouldn’t make it better, because the inside isn’t OK.
With The Substance now available on the streaming service Mubi, Demi Moore’s fearless performance continues to generate serious awards buzz. With five Oscar nominations—an almost unheard-of feat for even the best horror movies—the film has cemented itself as a genre-defying force.
But beyond its shocking body horror, which some critics dubbed "go until you gag," Coralie Fargeat's film strikes a deeply personal chord, forcing audiences to confront the same insecurities that consume Elisabeth. And at the heart of it all is Demi Moore’s transformative performance, making every moment of psychological torment feel painfully honest.
The now-iconic bathroom mirror scene is a masterclass in acting. It perfectly showcases the kind of emotional rawness that elevates The Substance beyond just another scary movie. It’s an unsettling, deeply human moment that lingers long after the credits roll.
For those ready to experience the film for themselves, The Substance is now available to stream from the comfort of home—just in time for the 97th Academy Awards, airing live on ABC this Sunday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
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