Demi Moore’s horror film “The Substance” has captured significant attention for its gripping storyline and exceptional performances. The film, directed by French filmmaker Coralie Fargeat, is an intense, satirical, and violent body horror thriller about insecurity and the pressures of unrealistic beauty standards that society forces onto women. “The Substance” is available to stream now for free on select platforms for active subscribers.
It is also available to rent or purchase on various digital platforms. The film is led by Demi Moore, who stars as an aging former Hollywood starlet, and Margaret Qualley, who plays a younger version of Moore created through unnatural means. The limited supporting cast also includes Dennis Quaid, Gore Abrams, Oscar Lesage, Christian Erickson, and Robin Greer.
“The Substance” follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), a fading Hollywood celebrity who, after losing her longtime fitness show and overhearing misogynistic comments from her male producer (Quaid) about her age, decides to take a black market drug. This results in the birth of a younger, separate version of herself (Qualley). What is meant to be a positive, symbiotic relationship between Elisabeth and her younger self quickly becomes embittered and unequal, leading to consequences so grotesque they need to be seen to be believed.
“The Substance” was widely praised when it hit theaters in 2024. The film currently holds an 89% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes and has garnered five Oscar nominations at the 2025 Academy Awards. The movie received nods in the Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Director, Best Makeup & Hairstyling, and Best Picture categories.
Demi Moore’s captivating performance
All fans of the film agree that you should prepare yourself for a shockingly gross experience. It is a full-fledged body horror nightmare that doesn’t hold back, which is what makes it so memorable.
The highly coveted Best Actress award is one of the most competitive trophies in Hollywood. This year, it’s a stacked category with strong contenders among the nominees. In 2023, Oscar pundits were split on whether Michelle Yeoh or Cate Blanchett would win; Yeoh took home the trophy that night.
Last year, it was a close race between Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone, with Stone coming out on top. This year, pundits predict Demi Moore will snag the category win after the actress took home numerous precursor awards. However, Mikey Madison, star of “Anora,” has also been winning at various critical award ceremonies, leaving pundits divided between the two.
Also among this year’s nominees is Karla Sofía Gascón, who made history as the first openly transgender actress to receive a nomination in the category. The Spanish actress recently sparked controversy for her comments about Muslims, George Floyd, and diversity at the Academy Awards. Here are this year’s nominees for Best Actress:
– Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
– Karla Sofía Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
– Mikey Madison, “Anora”
– Demi Moore, “The Substance”
– Fernanda Torres, “I’m Still Here”
At last year’s ceremony, Emma Stone took home her second win in the category for her physically demanding role in “Poor Things.” In the Yorgos Lanthimos film, Stone played Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life through a brain transplant in Victorian London.
The 97th Academy Awards will be held at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC. You can also stream the awards ceremony live on ABC.com, the ABC app, YouTubeTV, and AT&T TV.