Why Demi Moore’s Oscar Snub Is The Real Life ‘The Substance’

Every Oscar season brings its fair share of surprises, but few snubs sting quite like Demi Moore’s loss in the Best Actress category.

Despite delivering what many critics have called the performance of her career in The Substance, Moore shockingly lost the Best Actress award. After decades in Hollywood, this should have been her long-overdue moment, but once again, the Academy failed to recognize a performance that deserved its place among the year’s best.

I would like to say I am a huge Mikey Madison fan and am very proud of her for her Best Actress win! However, does this storyline sound familiar… younger actress given the spotlight while an older actress, who will never really get this chance again, is cast aside? The Substance, anyone???!!?

Moore’s role in The Substance was nothing short of transformative. The film, a psychological body-horror drama, required her to push herself emotionally and physically in ways she never had before. Her performance was raw, unsettling, and deeply affecting, qualities that typically make for an Oscar-worthy win.

Moore’s snub is even more insane given that she had built strong momentum throughout the awards season. She took home the Golden Globe for Best Actress and won the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award—two major precursors that often predict Oscar success.

There are a few possible explanations for Moore’s shocking snub. One of the most obvious is the Academy’s long-standing bias against horror and genre films.

Additionally, the industry’s history of overlooking older actresses is no secret. While male actors are regularly rewarded for their longevity (Anthony Hopkins, Jeff Bridges, Gary Oldman), women over 50 are far less frequently recognized, even when they deliver career-best work. Moore’s snub is yet another example of Hollywood’s persistent struggle to acknowledge aging actresses in complex, leading roles. AKA THIS IS THE REAL LIFE THE SUBSTANCE!!! The storyline that The Substance worked so hard to emphasize fully played out in front of our very eyes at the 2025 Academy Awards.

Still, if The Substance proved anything, it’s that Moore is as bold and brilliant as ever. Whether or not the Academy chooses to acknowledge her with a win, her performance will forever be remembered.