Demi Moore Shares Secrets Behind The Substance’s Most Shocking Scenes

Demi Moore is trying to find the beauty in her new horror movie, The Substance.

In the critically acclaimed project, Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, an actress fired from her TV fitness show for being too old. In hopes of regaining her youth, she takes a black market drug called The Substance to create a younger alternate version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley.

Things take a horrifying turn, however, as the two women fight for time in the spotlight.

“It’s a powerful shared experience,” Moore said while appearing on Late Night With Seth Meyers in September 2024. “It’s dealing with aging and the male perspective of the idealized woman that women have bought into.”

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The actress warned that some scenes in the blood-drenched horror film aren’t exactly easy on the eyes. But before the film officially hit theaters, Moore gave fans a preview into what made the film so powerful.

From an unforgettable scene with shrimp to nearly 10 hours in the makeup chair, there’s more than what meets the eye when watching The Substance:

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While shooting The Substance, Moore recalled hanging out in a makeup chair for several hours of grotesque prosthetic work to transform her face and body. “I sat in the chair anywhere from 6 to 9 and a half hours with a good 2 hours to take it off,” she told Seth Meyers. “It’s a much easier thing to read on paper, but I’m so glad I have the experience.”

In a separate interview with Entertainment Weekly, Moore referenced nearly 14 prosthetic pieces that rested on her face during some scenes.

"It's glued," she shared. "You have to be as careful if not more careful taking it off so you don’t destroy your skin."

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How Is ‘The Substance’ Different From Other Horror Films? 

Moore was quickly interested in director Coralie Fargeat’s latest project because of the unique story angle. “What really struck me was the harsh violence against oneself,” Morre told The Guardian. “It’s not what’s being done to you, it’s what we do to ourselves.”

Traditional horror, she said, merely terrifies, “whereas there’s a depth to the exploration of our psyches, our inner dialogue, that body horror seems to amplify.”

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In one memorable scene of The Substance, Moore’s character prepares to go on a date by applying makeup in front of a mirror. After some thought, she purposely tries to smear it off.

"Emotionally, that idea that I think many of us have been where we're trying to make something better and then we just keep making it worse. For me, it's one of the most heart-wrenching moments in the whole film,” she said on CBS Sunday Morning. “And it was at least 15 takes each time. And so, by the end, my face was raw."

Speaking separately with Variety, Moore recalled a moment when Fargeat wanted one more take. “The makeup artist stepped in,” the actress remembered, “and said, ‘We’re done.’”

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During the film, actor Dennis Quaid’s network boss sits Moore’s character down and questions how useful women are once they begin menopause. It’s an experience that stings even if it’s just for cameras.

“If you look historically, that was true in terms of how women were perceived,” Moore shared with Variety. “In your childbearing years, you were more desirable in a sexual way. Once women got past that point, they were relegated to other roles. The good news is, it’s changing. I did an interview with Michelle Yeoh, and I feel like she’s such an inspiration. She’s breaking through to show there are different places you can go, and that desirability isn’t tied to anything but your being.”

What Was the Scariest Scene for Demi Moore?

Although Moore is being called the star of The Substance, she was quick to call out a scene involving Quaid.

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“I will just warn everyone, the scene with Dennis eating the shrimp — which you haven’t seen — is by far the most violent scene in the whole movie,” she said on Late Night With Seth Meyers. “I think he ate 4 pounds of shrimp, tearing the heads off with sound effects.”

Before she could finish her thought, she playfully gagged for the camera as Meyers laughed along.

The Substance is in theaters now.