7 Surprising Things About Demi Moore You Really Need To Know
Until this year, Demi Moore was one of a handful of iconic actresses who had somehow never received an Oscar nom. (Sorry, Meg Ryan and Drew Barrymore … Your club just got smaller.)
This was practically a crime. Demi Moore is talented, y’all! Exhibit A: Her Golden Globe-nominated turn in Ghost, where she delivered the most powerful performance in ceramic pottery history. Exhibit B: Her role in Indecent Proposal, which gave us a shorthand for “tossing money into the air, but sexy.” And, of course, her recent Golden Globe acceptance speech for The Substance, which proves that she’s not only talented, but inspirational. But beyond these moments that are now etched into pop culture, Moore’s career also comprises bold choices, persona-shattering performances, and revolutionary acts of defiance that need more respect.
1. Babysitting Jack on Will & Grace
Moore’s guest appearance on Will & Grace might not be the first thing you think of when you brainstorm “underappreciated Demi Moore moments,” but it should be. As Jack’s former babysitter in the episode “Women and Children First,” she hilariously slips back into her old role after meeting Jack as an adult. She changes his clothes, she burps him, and she refuses to let him see homoerotic Vin Diesel movies. While there are some references to her ‘90s public persona – at one point, she’s described as “the crazy lady with the rockin’ body” – she generally plays against type here. She’s prim, prudish, officious, and absurd, perfectly working off Sean Hayes’ chaotic energy. She’s versatile, y’all!
2. She rewrote the book on ageism with her turn in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle
When Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle hit theaters in 2003, much of the conversation revolved around Moore wearing a bikini in it, despite being 40. Believe it or not, this was a real controversy back then! While some applauded her, many others uncouthly questioned whether or not a woman “her age” should wear so little on screen. However, by absorbing the backlash, Moore helped pave the way for a new era in which aging women could feel more confident in their bodies.
3. Her Sapphic scene with Zoë Kravitz in Rough Night
In this raunchy, all-star femme 2017 comedy, Moore plays a delightfully deranged swinger who, alongside Ty Burrell, lusts after Zoë Kravitz’s character. The subsequent (and surprisingly sexy) Sapphic scene that follows is proof that Moore has always pushed boundaries, even in her 50s. Plus, her comic timing and ability to embody bold sexuality are as apparent as ever in this movie.
4. The 1991 Vanity Fair cover that changed everything
Demi Moore’s naked, seven-months-pregnant cover for Vanity Fair in 1991 is now legend. The issue, which featured Moore pregnant with her second child, pushed over 500,000 more copies than expected and nabbed 75,000 new subscribers for the magazine. It also set a trend that has altered the face of Hollywood; these days, it’s practically a rite of passage for celebrities to publish a revealing pregnancy shoot. But not everyone was impressed at the time. A commentator at the Bangor Daily News declared: “It’s disgusting. Women are most beautiful when they’re pregnant, but from the face up!” My, the times have changed. Demi walked so that Beyoncé could run.
5. Her memoir Inside Out
Moore’s brave 2019 memoir, Inside Out, gave the world an unflinching look at her life and career. She opened up about getting raped at 15, her struggles with addiction, and her dysfunctional marriage to Ashton Kutcher (itself an “addiction”). While Kutcher and his now-wife Mila Kunis attempted to defend Kutcher following the publication of Inside Out, the memoir made it hard to feel bad for the guy. In addition to repeatedly cheating on Moore and refusing to show sympathy when she nearly drowned while drunk, he refused to acknowledge her alcoholism as a real disease. Hasn’t the woman been through enough? I mean, she had to listen to Ashton Kutcher talk every night for six years. Anyway, Kudos to Moore for risking controversy and public criticism by publishing this confessional memoir. She’s talented and brave!
6. Her infamous 1989 Oscars outfit
DIY fashion isn’t just for RuPaul’s Drag Race contestants during a sewing challenge. For the 1989 Oscars, Moore constructed her own fabulous Frankenstein garment out of bike shorts, a corset, and bedazzled fabric. While it landed her on worst-dressed lists, the look has actually aged like fine wine. Looking back, this lewk is now giving early ‘90s camp and sophisticated mullet realness, and I’m living. If she were to walk down the Drag Race runway with that outfit, she’d be solidly safe—maybe even high.
7. Her record salary for Striptease
In 1996, Moore made history when she became the highest-paid actress at the time for her role in Striptease. Her $12.5 million paycheck was groundbreaking, but it also came with a downside. While her then-husband Bruce Willis was pulling in even larger paychecks for his Die Hard films, Moore was publicly excoriated for asking for what she deserved. Still, her triumph helped push Hollywood closer to pay equity for women. Honestly, it’s sad that we still haven’t achieved it nearly 30 years later, but at least Demi Moore moved the needle a bit. Now it’s time to celebrate this woman and thank her for her unapologetic badassery! I think an Oscar would suffice.
