Demi Moore has finally won her first acting gong - a Golden Globe for her role in The Substance. Photo / Getty Images
Demi Moore has finally won her first acting gong - a Golden Globe for her role in The Substance. Photo / Getty Images
Forty-four years after her film debut, Demi Moore can now add a Golden Globe to her curriculum vitae. The star has enjoyed a storied career, but the 82nd Golden Globe Awards on January 5, 2025 marked a turning point in her silver screen legacy. Lana Andelane takes a look at Moore’s best moments during the prestigious ceremony.
She is one of Hollywood’s most famous faces, but before Sunday, Demi Moore’s five-decade-long career had been largely devoid of award-season recognition.
The 62-year-old, who made her silver screen debut in 1981’s Choices and cut her teeth on the soap opera General Hospital that same year, won her first major acting award on January 5: a Golden Globe for her performance as ageing celebrity Elisabeth Sparkle in acclaimed body horror The Substance.
Demi Moore won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy for her role in 2024's The Substance.
Moore had only been nominated in the Best Actress in a Motion Picture: Musical or Comedy category once prior for her performance in 1991’s Ghost, and received two further nods at the 1997 Golden Globes for her work on the anthology television thriller If These Walls Could Talk. The film, which Moore executive produced, also garnered her a nomination for Outstanding Television Movie at the Primetime Emmy Awards that year.
But before her triumph at the Golden Globes on Sunday, the star had only secured a handful of significant awards. The ensemble cast of the 2011 drama Margin Call, Moore included, was honoured with the Robert Altman Award in 2012. In 2006, she received another ensemble win for Bobby at the Hollywood Film Awards, and in 1991, Moore was crowned Best Actress at the Saturn Awards for her role in Ghost.
Demi Moore (left) and the late Patrick Swayze (right) starred in the 1991 blockbuster, Ghost.
The Golden Globe win on Sunday (local time) arguably marks a turning point in Moore’s career, cementing her legacy as not just a popular actress, but a bonafide silver screen icon. The role has also been hailed as a comeback of sorts, with the actress having largely prioritised supporting roles and arthouse films in recent years.
Let’s take a look at Moore’s best moments from the historic night.
An acceptance speech for the ages
Moore’s brief but poignant acceptance speech has been warmly received by fans and critics alike across social media, with many applauding the star’s win as a well-deserved triumph.
Visibly taken aback, Moore began her speech by declaring: “I’ve been doing this a long time - like, over 45 years. This is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor.
“Thirty years ago I had a producer tell me that I was a ‘popcorn’ actress, and at that time, I made that mean that this wasn’t something I was allowed to have,” she continued, gesturing to her award.
“That I could do movies that were successful, that made a lot of money, but that I couldn’t be acknowledged - and I ... believed that.
“That corroded me over time to the point where I thought a few years ago that maybe this was it ... maybe I’d done what I was supposed to do.
“As I was at kind of this low point, I had this magical, bold, courageous, out-of-the-box, absolutely bonkers script come across my desk, called The Substance. And the universe told me I was not done.”
Dressed for success
The 62-year-old was certainly dressed for the occasion, donning a sculptural, pewter Armani Prive gown reminiscent of the gold trophy in her clutches.
Demi Moore during the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on January 5 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo / Getty Images
That snub
Moore was seen warmly embracing her peers throughout the evening, but one attendee did not receive such an enthusiastic reception.
Widely circulated footage showed Moore embracing and exchanging well-wishes with the cast of Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, including Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, and Best Actor nominee Timothee Chalamet. However, Moore failed to acknowledge Chalamet’s girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, who was also seated at the table.
On Monday (local time), Moore’s daughter, Tallulah Willis, set the record straight.
Taking to her Instagram Story, Willis, 30, dismissed claims her mother had snubbed the reality TV royal, explaining the family had spent New Year’s Eve with Fanning and greeting her was “very organic”.
“So connecting with her after a win was a very organic thing to do,” Willis explained. “This angel [Moore] was in total shock and delight and moving throughout a warm room of well-wishers.
“There was not [sic] snub of any sort, had she seen KJ wanting to congratulate her she would have fully given her the time and space. Literally, just give it all a break and let a gal enjoy her accomplishments!”
Some viewers have since conceded that Jenner may have not felt comfortable interrupting Moore as she celebrated with colleagues and friends.
Despite the film’s success, Moore doesn’t see The Substanceas a career-concluding high. Instead, she believes the project has ushered in a new chapter entirely.
“It’s the beginning,” Moore told NPR Fresh Air in September. “I just want to stay present to where I am and be open to the possibilities.”
And possibilities are already in the pipeline. Moore is currently filming for I Love Boosters, an upcoming sci-fi comedy film also starring Keke Palmer, LaKeith Stanfield, and Will Poulter. The premise is said to centre around a group of shoplifters who take aim at a fashion maven.
“I’ve never been where I am exactly in this moment. My children are grown. I have the most independence that I’ve ever had,” Moore continued.
“And so it’s just this wonderful new time of exploration and discovery.”
Lana Andelane is an entertainment and lifestyle journalist. She was previously lifestyle editor at Newshub, where she began her career as a news producer. She enjoys writing about music, pop culture, fashion and beauty.
