It’s hard to look at Demi Moore or Margaret Qualley the same way after 2024. If you haven’t seen The Substance, you’ve at least seen the memes or heard the whispers about the "shingles and the 40 pounds of shrimp." Honestly, the movie is a lot. It’s a neon-soaked, blood-drenched nightmare that basically forced two actresses from different generations to merge into one single, terrifying consciousness.
People keep asking: did they actually get along? How do you even film a movie where you're technically playing the same person but you're trying to kill each other?
The reality of their relationship is actually weirder—and much more wholesome—than the body horror on screen suggests.
The Connection Most People Missed
You might think Demi and Margaret were strangers before this. They weren't. Not exactly. Hollywood is a small town, and the "indirect connections" between these two go back decades.
Back in 1985, a young Demi Moore starred in St. Elmo’s Fire. Her co-star? Andie MacDowell—who just happens to be Margaret Qualley’s mom. Demi literally worked with Margaret’s mother before Margaret was even a thought.
Then there’s the "daughter factor." Margaret grew up in the same circles as Demi’s daughters—Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah Willis. They knew each other. They’d seen each other at events. When director Coralie Fargeat cast them as the "Old" and "New" versions of Elisabeth Sparkle, there was already a weird, built-in sense of family trust.
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Why The Substance Almost Didn't Happen
Demi Moore was not actually the first pick for the role. It’s wild to think about now, given it’s being called her career-best performance, but Fargeat had other ideas initially.
Demi had to fight for it. She flew to Paris to meet Fargeat and did something pretty vulnerable: she handed over a copy of her memoir, Inside Out. She wanted the director to see her real relationship with her body, the aging process, and the industry. That’s what sealed the deal.
Margaret Qualley, on the other hand, was all-in from the jump. She’s famously a "physical" actor—she was a ballerina before she was an actress—and she knew playing "Sue" would require her to treat her body like a prop.
The Nudity and the Trust
Let's be real: the movie is incredibly naked. Both Moore and Qualley spent a massive chunk of the 108-day shoot completely exposed.
Demi has been very open about how terrifying that was at 60 years old. She said she felt "vulnerable and nervous," which makes sense. You're standing there in front of a crew, no clothes, being told you’re "fading." She credited Margaret for being her "other half" and making the set feel safe. They had this silent agreement. If one was exposed, the other was looking out for her.
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It wasn't just emotional, though. It was physically brutal.
- Demi Moore actually contracted shingles during a week she was off-set because the stress of the role was so high.
- Margaret Qualley had to wear prosthetic breasts (she called it "the rack of a lifetime") because the director wanted a specific, "Jessica Rabbit" hyper-perfection.
- The final creature, "Monstro Elisasue," was mostly Margaret inside a suit that took 6 hours to put on. She said it felt like being in an oven.
The Scene That Almost Broke Them
There’s a specific sequence where Elisabeth (Demi) is getting ready for a date. She puts on her makeup, looks in the mirror, hates it, rubs it off, and starts over. She does this over and over until her face is raw.
That wasn't just "acting" raw.
They did 15 takes. By the end, the makeup team had to step in and tell the director to stop because Demi’s skin was actually beginning to blister. It’s one of the most painful scenes to watch in modern cinema because that self-hatred feels so authentic.
What They Think of Each Other Now
Despite the movie ending with them literally beating each other to death, the two are incredibly close. Margaret calls herself a "big fan" of Demi’s and says G.I. Jane is one of her favorite movies.
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Demi, for her part, seems to view Margaret with a sort of maternal pride. She’s praised Margaret’s "depth" and her willingness to "get dirty" for a role. They don't have many scenes together where they actually talk—because, you know, they share a body—but the chemistry is there in the editing.
The Actionable Takeaway: What We Can Learn
If you’re watching The Substance for the gore, you’re missing the point. The real story is about the "violence we have against ourselves."
How to apply the "Substance" mindset (without the blood):
- Stop the Mirror Loop: That scene where Demi ruins her face? We all do a version of that. Recognize when "improving" yourself becomes "destroying" yourself.
- Trust Your "Other Self": Whether it's your younger self or your future self, stop treating them like the enemy. The movie’s big warning is "You Are One."
- Vulnerability is a Tool: Demi Moore got this role because she was honest about her insecurities. Sometimes, showing your "flaws" is exactly what gets you the win.
The 2025 Oscar win for Best Makeup and Hair was basically a foregone conclusion. The work put into those prosthetics—the 9-hour application sessions, the glue, the silicone—was insane. But the real "substance" of the film is the partnership between two women who decided to be fearless together.
Next time you see a picture of them on a red carpet, remember: one of them probably had to help the other out of a 50-pound monster suit that morning. That's real Hollywood friendship.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to see more of this duo’s range, go back and watch Margaret Qualley in Maid on Netflix—it shows the same grit she brought to The Substance. For Demi, her memoir Inside Out is essential reading to understand why she took this role in the first place. You’ll see that the "Elisabeth Sparkle" struggle isn't just fiction; it’s a reflection of her actual life in the spotlight.