WOMEN WE LOVE: Demi Moore

The critics are unanimous, and we are in agreement: Demi Moore, one of the biggest stars of the '80s and '90s and one of the highest-paid actresses in history, is back. Despite having participated in several films last year, it has been two decades since she had box office success or recognition from the critics.

But that seems to have changed, at least as far as critics are concerned, who consider her latest performance in The Substance one of the best of her career. Rotten Tomatoes already ranks it the first of her films with an impressive 90% critics' score. And while the film isn't likely to achieve the mainstream success of some of her greatest hits from the past, it clearly has put Demi Moore back in the Hollywood spotlight and has even earned her some early Oscars buzz. The plot of The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat, tells the story of Elizabeth Sparkles, an aging Hollywood star who is rejected by her producer, Harvey (Dennis Quaid), because she is no longer considered desirable. Desperate, she takes a serum to create a younger, "better" version of herself, Sue (played by Margaret Qualley). The result is a brutal satirical body horror film that also somehow manages to be oddly beautiful.

Throughout Demi Moore's long career, she has received 29 nominations, won 9, and starred in over 50 films. Launched to fame by the 1984 sex comedy Blame it in Rio, her first commercial hit came with the 1985 teen drama St. Elmo's Fire, "the movie that changed my life", because the film's director Joel Schumacher forced her to go to rehab before shooting began, as she wrote her 2019 autobiography Inside Out.

St. Elmo's Fire follows the lives of recent Georgetown graduates as they transition into adulthood. It was framed within a number of films starring the group of actors known as the "Brat Pack", which also included '80s teen classics like The Breakfast Club, Less Than Zero, and Sixteen Candles.

However, Demi Moore’s real fame, which would make her a superstar in her own right outside of the Brat Pack, came with the 1990 romantic fantasy thriller Ghost, om which she co-starred with Patrick Swayze. Ghost received 5 Oscar nominations and was the highest-grossing film of the year. Her character, Molly Jensen, is considered one of the best performances of her career. Ghost brought iconic moments in cinema in the '90s, starting with Moore’s signature short hair, which created a popular feminist trend. Also, the love scene featuring the song “Unchained Melody” is an iconic moment in pop culture history. Ghost earned Moore a Golden Globe nomination and she also won the Saturn Award for Best Actress.

At the peak of her career, Moore faced a pivotal moment when she boldly posed nude while 7 months pregnant with her second child for the cover of Vanity Fair. The iconic photograph, captured by Annie Leibovitz, was titled "More Demi Moore". This daring move sparked a heated debate, with some viewing it as objectification while others saw it as a statement of empowerment. Despite the controversy, the image became a global sensation, etching its place in the annals of photography.

1995 marked the year when the creators of Striptease and G.I. Jane vied for Demi Moore to lead their films. The victor was Striptease, propelling her to the title of Hollywood's highest-paid woman in 1995. She emerged as a beacon for all women, championing for equal pay alongside their male counterparts. Her influence extended beyond her acting prowess, as she was also crowned one of the most beautiful actresses by People Magazine in 1996, and in 2004, she was ranked 9th on their list of the most beautiful actresses of all time.

As the following years passed, Moore hit a bit of a rut. with films like The Scarlet Letter (1995) failing to capture the same success as her previously projects. Despite this, some later films, like Mr. Brooks (2007), have offered us some of her best performances. Mr Brooks did just okay at the box office, but Demi Moore knew how to give a lot of intensity to her character, Detective Tracy Atwood, who investigates Mr Brooks, who is an exemplary father and husband but also an assassin.

In 2008, Demi Moore gave one of her best performances as Sarah Robertson in Margin Call. The film depicts 2008 New York -- the 24 hours before the worldwide crisis at a New York investment bank. Demi Moore is the only woman in the main cast, which highlighted the lack of women in the economics or business worlds. The film was nominated for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

With a career of more than 50 films and some of the most important successes in the film industry, it’s clear that Demi Moore is leaving a deep footprint in the history of cinema. And now, after a few less successful years, she’s returning strong. Her role in The Substance depicts ageism and beauty standards, a problem everywhere, especially in Hollywood, and could become the best work of her career.

Throughout her career, Demi Moore has shown great perseverance and an extraordinary ability to reinvent herself. She shines, and she’s not stopping. She's a powerful actress who clearly still has a lot to offer!

The Substance is in theatres now!