If you have been on any social media platform, you have probably seen at least one post referencing the new body horror film “The Substance.”
”The Substance” stars Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle, an aging actress with her own aerobics television show. On her 50th birthday though, Sparkle is fired from the job by producer Harvey, citing her age as the reason for her dismissal.
On her way back, Elisabeth becomes distracted by a billboard of her being taken down, causing her to wreck her car. At the hospital, Elisabeth is handed a mysterious flash drive by a nurse, which advertises The Substance. The Substance— scarily similar to treatments like Ozempic and Botox— is a serum that is capable of making a “younger, more beautiful, more perfect version” of the person it is injected into.
After some thought, Elisabeth decides to begin taking The Substance, which in turn creates Sue, played by Margaret Qualley, a new and younger version of Elisabeth. The only catch is that Elisabeth must switch between the bodies every seven days and maintain a balance between the two.
Sue is quickly hired as Elisabeth’s replacement on the aerobics show and her fame skyrockets. As Sue, Elisabeth flourishes, but when she must return to her own body, Elisabeth becomes withdrawn from society and resentful towards both herself and her other half.
Although only a fictional movie, the eerie resemblance to the treatment of aging women in Hollywood is enough to make it feel real.
Women over the age of 40 are a quarter of the global population. But according to a study by San Diego State University Center for the Study of Women in Film & Television, female characters over the age of 40 dropped from 20% in 2015 to 14% in 2022. Women in this age range that do make it on screen are often cast in supporting or minor roles, according to another report.
Even Moore seems to resemble her character. Both famous lead ladies at one point faced scrutiny by Hollywood and the public due to society’s obsession with beauty and the unrealistic standards for it.
When discussing the movie, Moore said that she experienced Elisabeth’s feelings at one point and that the script resonated with her. Once she reached her forties, Moore said that she felt there wasn’t a place for her in Hollywood.
”[…] I found that there didn’t seem to be a place for me. I didn’t feel like I didn’t belong. It’s more like I felt that feeling of, I’m not 20, I’m not 30, but I wasn’t yet what they perceived as a mother,” said Moore.
Moore isn’t the only actress that has faced this kind of treatment in Hollywood. Anne Hathaway experienced it even as a child, being told that her “career would fall off a cliff at the age of 35.” Kirsten Dunst, 41, also revealed that she took a two-year break from being on screen due to only being offered “sad mom” roles.
”The Substance” serves as a reminder of the rampant ageism and the unrealistic beauty standards that have been set by society. Although an extreme example of the consequences of these standards, it provides us a glimpse of what these look like. After all, we can all probably find a bit of ourselves in this movie.