While filming Coralie Fargeat’s newest body horror feature — ominously entitled The Substance — actresses Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley recount experiences worthy of their own horror movie. The nature of Fargeat’s film demanded an unexpected degree of intensity from both stars, leading to panic attacks, illness, and weight loss before production finally concluded in October 2022.
An extensive and deeply personal interview with the LA Times revealed the grueling challenges faced by Moore and Qualley on the set of The Substance. Sheer exhaustion seemed to be a daily side effect of filming, and that wasn’t the worst of it. As Moore recalled:
“To give you an idea of the intensity, my first week that I actually had off, where it was just Margaret working, I got shingles. And I then lost, like, 20 pounds.”
Similarly, Qualley’s role demanded extreme physical fitness, requiring the 29-year-old actress to spend several months ahead of filming lifting weights and training in aerobics. Qualley was also outfitted in heavy prosthetics for several days of filming, which caused numerous panic attacks due to claustrophobia.
The highly anticipated follow-up to Fargeat’s debut filmRevenge follows Elisabeth Sparkle, an Oscar-winning T.V fitness instructor played by Moore, who is unexpectedly fired on the day of her 50th birthday. Desperate to maintain relevance in the cutthroat entertainment industry, Elisabeth pursues a miracle cure in the form of a back-alley serum that, once injected, unleashes a younger, better version of herself. This second self, played by Qualley, must transform back into Elisabeth after one week — which she ultimately fails to do, causing truly grotesque consequences for both women. Speaking of her character, Moore noted:
“I think from a human point, I relate, but I’m not Elisabeth. There are different interpretations that she could have had in responding to [being fired], although we wouldn’t have had the same movie. Why didn’t Sue go, ‘I can run my own show, I can be my own producer’? Instead, she still seeks the same validation, the same approval.”
Despite the numerous physical and mental obstacles experienced by Moore and Qualley during the production ofThe Substance, both actresses fully embraced the challenge — and even saw it as necessary to succeed in conveying the important message of Fargeat’s film. The Substance draws a direct parallel to the current plight of women in Hollywood, who must be sufficiently young and attractive in order to be seen as valuable. The disposable nature of Elisabeth Sparkle’s 50-year-old self is starkly contrasted against the overwhelming sex appeal of her younger, fitter body, bluntly exposing the misogyny and sexism that remains deeply embedded in the entertainment industry today.
The Substance received an 11-minute standing ovation following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and reviews praised the film for its feminist themes and gruesome horror elements, marking an undeniable success for Moore, Qualley, and Fargeat. A theatrical release has been scheduled for September 18th.