After watching the scene in “The Substance” where Elisabeth Sparkle, played by Demi Moore, repeatedly applies and wipes off lipstick in front of a mirror — a chilling metaphor for identity, erasure and self-loathing — I couldn’t have imagined that critics and awards voters would embrace it. Yet here we are, with Moore emerging as a frontrunner in the Oscar race for her career-defining performance in Coralie Fargeat’s provocative body horror film. Her Golden Globes win Sunday not only cements Moore’s legacy but also shines a long-overdue spotlight on horror as a genre worthy of awards season acclaim.
At 62, Moore is on the verge of earning her first-ever Oscar nomination for best actress. Her haunting and multilayered portrayal of an aging star who takes a mysterious serum to regain her youth — only for the experiment to spiral into a surreal nightmare — has been hailed as a masterclass in physical and emotional transformation. From the eerie precision with which Moore applies and removes lipstick in the now-iconic scene to her ability to balance fragility with monstrous confidence, critics and audiences alike agree: this is the best work of her decades-long career.
But Moore’s breakout in the Oscar race isn’t just a personal victory; it’s a watershed moment for a genre long ignored by awards bodies. Moore leads a new wave of respect for horror alongside genre-defining performances such as Kathy Bates’ Oscar-winning turn in “Misery” (1990). Her success also evokes the frustration of memorable performances left unrecognized by the Academy, including Toni Collette’s searing work in “Hereditary” (2018) and Lupita Nyong’o’s dual roles in “Us” (2019).
Horror has historically lived on the fringes of awards season — celebrated by fans yet primarily dismissed by the Academy. The genre is often viewed as too graphic, too niche, or too “lowbrow” for the refined tastes of Oscar voters, even when its artistry is undeniable. Mia Farrow in “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) and Jamie Lee Curtis in “Halloween” (1978) were performances that redefined the genre, yet the Academy snubbed both.
In the Academy Awards’ 95-year history, only six horror films have been nominated for best picture: “The Exorcist” (1973), “Jaws” (1975), “The Sixth Sense” (1999), “Black Swan” (2010), “Get Out” (2017) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) — the only horror film to win. Acting honors have been even rarer. Bates’ landmark win for “Misery” triumphed over powerhouse performances like Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman” and Meryl Streep in “Postcards from the Edge.” However, since then, the Academy has primarily ignored horror, despite notable nods for Sigourney Weaver in “Aliens” (1986), Ellen Burstyn and others.
The 2025 race is stacked, with Moore up against an abundance of riches, which include other genre-bending turns such as the musical performances of Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”) and Karla Sofía Gascón (“Emilia Pérez”), young ingenues Mikey Madison (“Anora”) and Zendaya (“Challengers”) and international veterans Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”).
Yet Moore’s performance stands out. Much like Bates in “Misery,” Moore anchors a film that transcends its genre by delivering a profoundly human story. Elisabeth Sparkle’s desperate search for validation and the corrosive impact of societal expectations on women’s bodies make “The Substance” both a searing social commentary and a bone-chilling horror film.
If Moore takes home the Oscar, she will join an elite group of more seasoned best actress winners. At 62, she would become the sixth-oldest winner in the category’s history, alongside Meryl Streep (“The Iron Lady”), Frances McDormand (“Nomadland”), Marie Dressler (“Min and Bill”), Katharine Hepburn (“On Golden Pond”) and Jessica Tandy (“Driving Miss Daisy”). At a time when ageism in Hollywood remains pervasive, Moore’s win would send a powerful message about the relevance and resilience of actresses over 60.
But is the film a viable best picture player?
Told in three evocative chapters, “The Substance” is a visual spectacle and a psychological deep-dive. Under Fargeat’s razor-sharp direction, the film explores the grotesque extremes of the beauty industry and society’s obsession with youth. Elisabeth Sparkle’s transformation from a washed-up aerobics show star into a sinister, idealized version of her younger self is equally terrifying and tragic.
Fargeat, known for her 2017 cult hit “Revenge,” blends the body horror sensibilities of David Cronenberg with the satirical bite of Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan,” which also won best actress for Natalie Portman. It also helps that “The Substance” is a major contender in the original screenplay category, a space that has embraced offbeat choices like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022), “Get Out” (2017) and “Her” (2013).
Could Moore’s recognition pave the way for future horror performances to break through? Or even others in the conversation this year? The answer is whether Academy voters can overcome their longstanding biases against genre films.
There’s also buzz for Moore’s co-star Margaret Qualley, who’s harnessing a CCA and Globe nod so far and hoping to hang on to a supporting actress race that’s as fiercely competitive as its leading counterpart. In addition, Hugh Grant’s CCA and Golden Globe-nominated work in “Heretic” is still firmly in the discussion. At the same time, Sebastian Stan’s Golden Globe victory for the darkly comedic psychological thriller “A Different Man” could still find enough voters willing to give the actor his first bid at an Oscar. And let’s not forget the likes of Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” the vampiric remake that’s as technically brilliant as it is entertaining.
In a year full of standout performances, “The Substance” offers something wholly unique: a fearless exploration of vanity, aging and identity, anchored by one of the most daring performances of the year —perhaps the decade if you poll the film’s most ardent fans. If Moore takes home the Oscar, it won’t just be her moment. It will be a defining moment for horror — a genre that will finally secure its place at the table.