Demi Moore wins Golden Globe for ‘The Substance’

In what was perhaps the most shocking victory at the Golden Globes on Sunday night, Demi Moore took home the statuette for best motion picture actress in a musical or comedy for her starring role in the body horror film ” The Substance.”

Moore went up against strong leaders in the category, like Karla Sofía Gascón in “Emilia Pérez” and Cynthia Erivo in “Wicked.”

Moore, the star of “Ghost” and “A Few Good Men,” appeared delighted to receive the award, acknowledging that it was the first major acting award she had ever received in her storied career .

In a powerful acceptance speech, Moore recalled a producer who 30 years ago told her she was a “popcorn actress.”

“I made it clear that it wasn’t something I allowed to happen. That I could make films that were successful but I couldn’t be recognized. I bought into it and I believed,” Moore said.

That mindset, she says, “eaten away at me over time,” to the point where she thought her career was over just a few years ago. She also received four Razzies during her career, dubious honors that made a mockery of many of her films.

“Maybe that was it, maybe it was over, maybe I had done what I’m supposed to do,” Moore recalled.

It was at that moment, Moore said, that she “dropped this magical, daring, courageous, outside-the-box, absolutely crazy script called ‘The Substance’ on my desk, and the universe m ‘said: ‘You’re not finished.'”

The universe was indeed right.

“The Substance” follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), a washed-up actress who gets fired from her longtime job as a television fitness instructor because she’s deemed too old.

When offered the opportunity to take a “substance” to reveal a better version of herself, Sparkle takes it, in turn creating Sue (Margaret Qualley), a younger, hotter and therefore more successful version from Sparkle, who tries to claim her. the life of his predecessor as his own.

Of course, things go wrong.

Moore made sure to take the time to shout out director Coralie Fargeat, Qualley, and the people who believed in her when she didn’t believe in herself.

“In those moments when we don’t think we’re smart enough or pretty enough or skinny enough or successful (enough)… or basically, not enough, a woman told me, ‘Just know that you won’t be never’. It’s enough, but you can know what your value is if you just put the indicator down,” Moore said.

She continued: “Today I celebrate this as a marker of my wholeness and the love within me and for the gift of doing something I love and reminding myself that I belong.”

After the remarkable victory, host Nikki Glaser weighed in on Moore’s “comeback.”

“There’s been a lot of talk about comebacks, right? Like Pamela Anderson and Demi Moore, who just won,” Glaser began.

“And it turns out if you’re a woman over 50 in a leading role, they call it a ‘return.’ If you’re a man over 50 in a leading role, congratulations, you’re on the point of playing Sydney Sweeney’s boyfriend.