Margaret Qualley’s performance as Sue in The Substance, directed by Coralie Fargeat, was one of Hollywood’s highlights in 2024
In 2024, Margaret Qualley stood out a lot in Hollywood with the role of Sue in The Substancedirected by Coralie Fargeat and also starring Demi Moore (Elisabeth Sparkle). However, the prosthetics she wore on filming damaged her face – and it took around a year to heal.
In the narrative, Elisabeth Sparkle is a TV presenter whose career days are numbered because she is considered “old” by those in charge of the industry. Then, she receives an invitation to use The Substance, which creates a second version of her, younger and more determined, the Sue.
However, if The Substance is used incorrectly, the user faces dire consequences on the body. At the end of the film, both Sue as Elizabeth they are completely disfigured by the break in balance.
“At the end, when they’re filming my skirt in the opening credits, and it’s like there’s palm trees all around and they have all these long lenses at the bottom, it’s just because my face was so f***ed up,” he said. Margaret Qualley to the podcast Happy Sad Confused. “They couldn’t film my face anymore.”
“So, you know the character who has all this acne? That was just my prosthetic acne,” the actress recalled. “And I was like, ‘Oh, this is kind of perfect. I’m playing all these different characters. For one of them, we’re going to use all my crazy prosthetic acne.’ It took me probably a year to recover physically from all of that.”
What is the story of The Substance?
Directed by Coralie Fargeat (Revenge), The Substance narrates the decline of her career as an actress Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore, Indecent Proposal), who agree to try a mysterious drug. At first glance, the substance has extraordinary properties, being able to replicate cells and temporarily generate a rejuvenated and improved version of itself.
However, from this decision, Sue (Margaret Qualley, Types of Kindness), bringing with it a sequence of bizarre events, which will change the life of Elizabeth forever. Watch the trailer:
Source: Rollingstone
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
