With the movie being hailed as a career-best for her, Demi Moore recalls she had the same fears for The Substance as another acclaimed hit in her past. Moore leads the body horror movie as former Hollywood star Elisabeth Sparkle who, in an effort to reclaim her popularity, discovers a black market drug that allows her to transform into a younger version of herself, though comes with dangerous consequences when the instructions aren’t adhered to. Also starring Margaret Qualley and Dennis Quaid, The Substance has garnered rave reviews from critics and become a sleeper box office hit.

During a recent appearance on First We Feast’s “Hot Ones”, Moore was asked about her potential fears going into filming The Substance, considering its experimental nature and heavy content. The star equated her concerns about the movie to that of 1990’s Ghost, particularly due to how both feature a variety of tones and genres balanced within them. Check out what Moore said in the quote and video below:

It really means that it was holding something that was worth the risk. And I felt that way, also, about Ghost, because it had so many different genres mixed together that, truly, I thought, “This could either be amazing, or a f——ing disaster.” I thought that, either way, it’s the kind of juice that says, “Step in, take the risk, roll the dice, and let’s see what happens.”

What Moore’s Ghost Comparison Means For The Substance
They Both Came Amidst Key Points In Her Career

While the comparison of a twisty body horror to a supernatural romantic drama may seem like an odd one, when looking at the overall trajectory of Moore’s career, The Substance and Ghost share some similarities in when they were released. The Patrick Swayze-co-starring movie came amid Moore’s ongoing rise to fame following her young adult-oriented titles with everything from St. Elmo’s Fire to About Last Night…. Coralie Fargeat’s movie, on the other hand, comes amid her resurgence on screen, having found success just earlier this year with Feud: The Capotes vs. The Swans.

Related 10 Horror Movies To Watch Next If You Loved The Substance The Substance is one of the best horror movies of 2024, and here are 10 others that are perfect to watch after Coralie Fargeat’s body horror film.

The other major similarity that both The Substance and Ghost share is that they both bring with them major awards consideration for Moore. Since the movie’s world premiere at Cannes in May, critics have listed her as a serious contender for the Best Actress award at both the Oscars and Golden Globes. Though she may not have landed a nomination for the former for her performance in Ghost, she did land a Globe nomination, with Julia Roberts taking home the award for Pretty Woman.

Our Take On Moore’s Fears About The Substance
It’s Certainly Not The Safest Movie To Make

While she may have ultimately worked through her fears to make it, it’s understandable why Moore had concerns about The Substance. Even for its time, Ghost’s innovative concept made way for a generally heartwarming experience, whereas the body horror movie is far more of a confrontational story regarding beauty standards, addiction and the dangers of popularity, thus making it far riskier of a project for her to undertake. That said, I’m thrilled she overcame her fears and took a chance on the movie, because she is truly masterful in it, and I hope she gets the awards recognition she deserves.

Source: Hot Ones

Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity, turns to a mysterious drug that promises to restore her youth by creating a younger, more beautiful version of herself. But splitting time between her original and new body leads to horrifying consequences as her alternate self, Sue, begins to unravel her life in a disturbing body-horror descent.Director Coralie Fargeat Release Date September 20, 2024 Studio(s) Working Title Films , A Good Story Writers Coralie Fargeat Cast Demi Moore , Margaret Qualley , Dennis Quaid , Gore Abrams , Hugo Diego Garcia , Olivier Raynal , Tiffany Hofstetter , Tom Morton , Jiselle Burkhalter , Axel Baille , Oscar Lesage , Matthew Géczy , Philip Schurer Runtime 140 Minutes Expand Ghost is a romantic thriller directed by Jerry Zucker, featuring Patrick Swayze as Sam Wheat, a man who has been murdered and becomes a ghost in order to protect his girlfriend Molly Jensen, played by Demi Moore. With the assistance of a reluctant psychic named Oda Mae Brown, portrayed by Whoopi Goldberg, Sam attempts to uncover the truth behind his death and bring closure to his unfinished business.Director Jerry Zucker Release Date July 13, 1990 Studio(s) Paramount Writers Bruce Joel Rubin Cast Patrick swayze , Demi Moore , Tony Goldwyn , Stanley Lawrence , Christopher J. Keene , Susan Breslau Runtime 127 minutes Expand