“Over 9 Hours of Makeup”: The Substance Madness Explained by Demi Moore and Coralie Farjit

“I can’t tell you anything. You just have to read it.This is the instruction given to Demi Moore when her agent submitted the script for The Substance. Written and directed by Coralie Fargeat, this film tells the story of a down-and-out actress who, in order to escape the dictates of the industry, gives birth to a better version. Into the serum that this insane pitch itself unleashes at the Cannes Film Festival – where it won the screenplay prize – it has established itself around the world. phenomenon.

In Paris, the American actress joined the director for several interviews. A real possibility when we know how rare a star is in French media. This is, above all, a great opportunity to ask him all possible questions about this film that is not yet finished to get people talking.

Demi Moore and her body in cinema

What if Demi Moore matched an athlete? In cinema, his body becomes an instrument, a tool, which he puts to the service of roles. This is true in Striptease, Equal Arms and his legendary head-shaving, Charlie’s Angels, and especially The Substance. But why this obsession with the body?

“Most of the time I read the script and if it evokes something in me, it’s obviousDemi Moore explains. I tend to choose things that are a bit provocative, which rubs salt in the wound. It’s also because I’m looking to find answers. I’m looking to explore a topic, especially if I feel like something isn’t right.

In on equal terms For example, I asked myself, “Why couldn’t a woman go into battle? If she’s competent enough to do it, why can’t she?” For me, it was a cautionary question, but it also allowed me to have an experience that would challenge me on a whole different level, just like this movie, The Substance.“

The most intense scene in The Substance

“I think my longest day was nine and a half hours of makeupDemi Moore reveals her physical transformation.And again, it was just an hour of filmingCorali Farjit adds.

However, the most intense scene in The Substance for the actor and director does not involve any prosthetics or other visual effects. It’s a mirror scene where Demi Moore’s character takes off her makeup and puts it on until it damages her skin. A key scene that is nothing but the heart of the film.

“This scene is definitely one of the hardest scenes on the list. He emphasizes. There is no dialogue, you have to communicate with subtlety, small changes in the eyes, which are not always easy to see when filming, because you are watching on a small monitor. But yes, there were also all these prosthetics. Many days became difficult. Can’t choose one (laughs).”

Success among young audiences

Coralie Fargeat’s film has become a viral phenomenon on social networks. Many viewers have parodied the substance through Halloween costumes, TikToks and drag queen shows, which Demi Moore is enthusiastic about:

“I knew we had succeeded in our mission when we saw drag queens covering our film! it’s nice Too many people in the US went to see it in the cinema and it’s a big challenge for our industry, especially in America. Three or four times I met people who went back. And all these memes on the internet or on Tiktok, it’s fantastic.”

For Coralie Fargeat, the most exciting thing remains the numerous messages from viewers: “They tell me: “Thank you for shooting this film”, “I have the impression of seeing”, “I have the impression of hearing. I wish I had this film when I was a child”. I think that’s what resonates with me the most because I also think I wish I had seen this movie when I was younger..”

Substance, rebirth?

After a few years the films went unnoticed – not many were released in France -, Demi Moore Discovers a true revival with Coralie Farjit’s feature film. A renaissance that began with the publication of an autobiography called inside out and published in 2019.

“I think part of the job of an artist is to create using things that are inside of youDemi Moore confides. And when you put them into an object, you have to separate them afterwards. So when it comes to my own personal journey of self-discovery, it’s really liberating.“

Coralie Fargeat replies: “I see a strong connection between your book and the movie. In terms of the road and where you have been in your life. I felt that you were ready to take on something so risky because you’ve come so far in your life.“

“UndoubtedlyDemi Moore continues. Knowing that there was liberation allowed me to go to such a vulnerable place, to reveal, to show the places that we want to hide. It is an act of concealment that locks us in fear. Letting go, on the contrary, leads to liberation.”

Commentaries collected by Thomas Desroches, Paris, November 5, 2024.

The full interview is available above.

Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance can be seen in the cinema.