Acting is a whirlwind of drama behind all that Hollywood sparkle. As the years roll by, those glitters start to dull, and even the flashy highlights can feel like a conspiracy against the aging stars. When it comes to intimate or revealing scenes, the spotlight tends to land more on wrinkles than on what is meant to leave the audience slack-jawed. But not everyone falls prey to Father Time. Take Demi Moore, for instance. 

While self-scrutiny might sting more than the critics' jabs, Moore believes accepting it is the key. The actor recently opened up about the challenges of nudity in acting when age turns into a dizzying whirlwind of well-earned Hollywood conspiracies.

Demi Moore’s upcoming movie The Substance, hitting theaters on September 20, is a dark comedy that delves into the horrors of aging as a Hollywood star. But it is also a literal body-horror film where the story of an aging actress runs parallel to Moore herself, now 60, facing the challenges of portraying such young-old realities on screen. In a recent chat with The New York Times, Moore shared that the nudity in the film often had her remarking, “Ugh, my –s looks awful,” followed by a laugh.

Despite those moments, Moore pointed out when contrasted with Margaret Qualley that the focus was not on her looking flawless—rather, it was liberating to embrace the imperfections. Sure, there were times when the marks of time made her reflect, but she was more than okay with it. What really struck her was the fact that her character was being rejected and not because she looked bad. And if she stumbled a bit along the way, it only meant she was bringing the character to life in an authentic, cinematic way.

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Moore also felt a sense of empowerment in exposing herself to the judgment of time, contrasting one flawless, revealing shot with another that embraces the imperfections of aging.

In her chat with The New York Times, Demi Moore discussed how a key element of The Substance is the stark contrast between close-ups of Margaret Qualley’s youthful body, now in her twenties, and her own at 60. Moore noted how this contrast draws attention to the male gaze and the idealized version of women, where rejection happens because “the --s isn’t as plump, or, high, or tight.”

While she admitted to a natural knee-jerk reaction when first seeing herself unclothed, the film gave her a fresh perspective, filling her with pride for portraying the in-between—the gray area often overlooked in youth. While stars like Drew Starkey have already outlined the importance of intimacy in storytelling, The Substance has empowered Moore to redefine her life story in her 60s by stepping away from conventional expectations and embracing her own evolution.

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What do you think of Demi Moore's candid discussion on skin-barring roles in her 60s? Let us know in the comments below!