Demi Moore defends nudity and gore in ‘insane’ Cannes film with 100% Rotten Tomatoes score-Rebecca Sayce-Entertainment – Metro

Demi Moore has defended the extreme violence, nudity, and body horror in her shocking Cannes film that has received the festival’s longest ovation.

The Substance, directed by Revenge creator Coralie Fargeat, premiered at the French festival yesterday, with many lauding the Ghost actor’s, 61, performance.

Yet to receive a UK release date, the Palme d’Or contender sees Demi star as Elizabeth Sparkle, a fading Hollywood actor whose career is at risk of being axed until she discovers an experimental medical procedure to combat ageing.

The all-star cast is rounded out by Margaret Qualley, Hugo Diego Garcia, and Dennis Quaid, who replaced Ray Liotta in the film following his death aged 67 in 2022.

Following its premiere, many critics were left shocked by the explicit content of the film and its gore, including a particularly bloody fight scene between Sparkle and Qualley’s character Sue.

Moore has defended The Substance’s graphic elements, praising her co-stars and director Fargeat.

Demi Moore stars as aging actor Elizabeth Sparkle in The Substance (Picture: Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)

Directed by Coralie Fargeat, the film also stars Dennis Quaid and Margaret Qualley (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Demi praised Fargeat for approaching the film’s extreme scenes with sensitivity (Picture: Mubi)

Many have spoken about the nudity and gore within The Substance (Picture: Festival de Cannes)

Following a 13-minute ovation, Moore praised Qualley and said she was ‘a great partner’ to share scenes with.

‘We were obviously quite close at some moments…and naked. But there was also a levity [in shooting those scenes],’ she told the crowd (per The Hollywood Reporter).

She said the film ‘pushed her out of her comfort zone’ but that the explicit imagery was ‘necessary to tell this story.’

Fargeat approached the content ‘with a lot of sensitivity’ according to Demi, who added that they established a ‘common ground of mutual trust’ to work together.

Demi shared that The Substance shifts ‘the male perspective of the ideal woman’, assuring attendees at the press conference that she and Fargeat are ‘not anti-men, we’re anti-jerks’ when asked if the film condemns men.

Quaid chimed in: ‘People say [Fargeat] hates men. No, she hates a** holes. But a** holes are so fun to play.’

Demi stated that the film is not ‘anti-men’ (Picture: Rune Hellestad/UPI/Shutterstock)

She also heaped praise on her co-star Qualley during the film’s press conference (Picture: Festival de Cannes)

Early reviews have seen the film achieve a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score (Picture: Festival de Cannes)

Colour us intrigued. The film has already starkly divided critics, with some praising its gratuitous use of gore while others branded it ‘the worst film of Cannes.’

It boasts a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes after early screenings, with Screen International gushing: ‘Unlike other films that claim to be body-horror, Fargeat delivers in spectacular and revolting fashion, not just conjuring memories of David Cronenberg but also Brian De Palma.’

IndieWire added: ‘Fargaet’s movie escalates with the kind of ultra-confident audacity that leaves you laughing out loud at sights that would otherwise make you shriek instead.’

Little White Lies, however, said: ‘The Substance’s execution of its supposed themes is as shallow as the very thing it’s critiquing, a stab at feminism without actually saying anything other than “women are held to excruciating beauty standards”.’

A synopsis for the film reads: ‘It generates another you. A new, younger, more beautiful, more perfect you. And there’s only one rule: You share time. One week for you. One week for the new you. Seven days each. A perfect balance. Easy. Right? If you respect the balance… what could possibly go wrong?’

Taking to social media, viewers shared their shock over the ‘absolutely insane’ film and its ‘excessively gory’ scenes – with many speculating it could be one of the most talked about movies of the year.

David Ehrlick wrote: ‘The Substance is absolutely f*****g insane and by far the best film in Competition so far. an instant body horror classic, equal parts Freaky Friday and The Fly, Demi Moore going full demented. Loved.

Beyond Fest added: ‘Cannes just got splattered. THE SUBSTANCE is the most bats**tf*****ginsane movie of the last 20 years. It is on such a freakish level that it’s impossible to believe it exists. Demi Moore goes there and @coraliefargeat has carved a contemporary horror unlike anything you’ve seen.’

Josh Parham wrote: ‘THE SUBSTANCE is like David Cronenberg made Death Becomes Her, a dark and twisted fable regarding Hollywood’s obsession with youth and beauty. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley are both superb in this excessively gory spectacle of body horror. This one is for the sickos.’

Many praised Moore’s performance, saying they can’t wait for the ‘Demi Renaissance.’

Intrigued? It could be a long wait for UK cinema fans as a release date for The Substance is yet to be announced, though it is thought to be coming to cinemas in 2024.

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