The Substance, a recent fictional film about a young actress who subjects herself to a “substance” to maintain her youth, might seem like a surreal story — but it’s closer to Hollywood’s reality (and society’s) than we’d like to admit. In the movie, the protagonist destroys her health and identity to meet the beauty standards imposed by an industry dominated by older men who, ironically, aren’t pressured to “look young” at any cost. This narrative serves as a powerful critique of the ageism and sexism in Hollywood, where a woman’s beauty and youth are strictly mandated, while men’s appearances are widely overlooked.
Age and Aesthetics in the Film Industry
The storyline of The Substance mirrors a structural problem in Hollywood: ageism against women, who face relentless pressure to maintain a youthful appearance, often undergoing procedures that men of the same age never have to consider. This standard is reflected in real, everyday situations in the industry, where actresses are forced to choose between aging naturally—and possibly losing job opportunities—or undergoing aesthetic procedures, with consequences that affect both mental and physical health.
Real-Life Cases: Youth as a Job Requirement
Hollywood is full of stories that highlight this pressure. Julia Roberts, for example, recently posted a casual photo with her niece, but what should have been a family moment quickly turned into a public debate about her appearance. Comments about wrinkles and her “aging” flooded the responses, reflecting how older actresses are immediately associated with a perceived loss of value or relevance.
Another case is Maggie Gyllenhaal, who at 37 was considered “too old” to play the romantic interest of an older male actor. These examples reveal a pattern: while men age and maintain their space in prominent roles, women who reach a certain age must battle the idea that they no longer “belong” on screen. In The Substance, the protagonist is driven to extremes to keep her role in the industry. Although the story is fictional, it raises the question of how many women in real life have been or will be, victims of some “substance” to meet a youth standard imposed by others.
Reflection in Society and Widespread Aesthetic Pressure
The story of The Substance goes beyond Hollywood, serving as a critique of an aesthetic pressure that permeates society. The obsession with youth isn’t limited to the entertainment industry; it affects women of all ages and backgrounds, who often feel the need to maintain an “appropriate” appearance to meet culturally imposed beauty standards. Botox, fillers, and surgeries are presented as “normal,” a path to preserving one’s appearance, when, in reality, they’re often a response to the social expectation that a woman must never “age.”
The impact of this pressure is visible on social media, where aesthetic procedures are widely promoted as almost essential for women to “stay relevant.” In this landscape, Hollywood acts as a cultural thermometer: if actresses like Julia Roberts and Anne Hathaway feel this demand, it’s easy to imagine how this expectation resonates in the lives of everyday women.
What The Substance Teaches Us About Age and Value?
The Substance challenges us to reflect on how we view women’s aging and their value beyond appearance. The protagonist’s struggle is a portrayal of the struggle of countless women who sacrifice health and well-being in the name of an illusion of eternal youth. As a society, we have a responsibility to demand a more honest and inclusive representation of women, recognizing the value that experience and maturity bring.
Ultimately, the film leads us to ask: how far are we willing to go in pursuit of a youth that, by definition, is fleeting? And perhaps more importantly, how can we value women and people of all ages, rather than promoting a standard that makes them captives of an appearance that has little to do with who they truly are?
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The article above was edited by Beatriz Gatz.
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