The fearless and wickedly delightful 2024 satirical body horror hit The Substance has captivated moviegoers everywhere with its scathing commentary on Hollywood’s obsession with beauty and youth and its graphic and gruesome visuals. Starring Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid, the daring flick tells the story of an aging actress’ fixation with her appearance and determination to remain relevant in the entertainment industry, prompting the desperate woman to take an elixir that creates a younger version of herself.
Celebrated leading man Ray Liotta was tapped to appear alongside Moore and Qualley in the thought-provoking picture, though his sudden passing on May 26, 2022, ultimately led to the part being recast by Quaid. Let’s explore the powerful themes and characters featured in The Substance and delve into the role that the sensational Liotta was slated to portray before his untimely death.
What Is The Substance About & Who Stars In It?
In the latest Hollywood hit taking the world by storm, Coralie Fargeat’s satirical body horror flick The Substance features the talents of Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, and Dennis Quaid and tells the spine-tingling story of a fading Academy-Award winning actress whose obsession with beauty, youth, and relevancy leads her to take an experimental serum that creates a younger, more flawless version of herself. After being fired as the host of a popular TV aerobics show on her 50th birthday, Elisabeth Sparkle finds herself spiraling and desperate to stay in the limelight, prompting her to inject the titular concoction in order to hold onto her fame.
The serum creates a more perfect and beautiful version of Elisabeth known as Sue (Qualley), who emerges from a slit in the older woman’s back and is connected to her, with the duo having to switch bodies every seven days while the other rests in order to maintain the balance. As Sue skyrockets to fame and takes the entertainment industry by storm, Elisabeth becomes more and more depressed and insecure as she feels herself being replaced by her younger and more shiny counterpart. When Sue becomes greedy and addicted to the attention, a vicious power struggle between the two ensues, leading to dangerous sabotage and devastating consequences.
Ray Liotta Was Slated to Play Sleazy Bigwig
The late and great Ray Liotta was slated to appear alongside Moore and Qualley in the raw and refreshing horror knockout. The Emmy-winning actor was set to tackle the role of the sleazy and repulsive Hollywood hotshot Harvey (no doubt a jab at the real-life disgraced film producer). Harvey kicks off the shocking events of the film when he fires Elisabeth after she turns 50, dismissing the starlet and declaring that she needs to be replaced by someone younger and more attractive and effectively phasing her out. When faced with the temptation of the wondrous elixir, the desperate Elisabeth takes it as a result of Harvey’s confidence-shattering words.
While there is no denying that Dennis Quaid did a phenomenal job embodying the foul and predatory executive producer in the thought-provoking film, Liotta would likely have dazzled as the lowlife Harvey and had the acting chops to dominate the role. Before his untimely death at 67, Liotta had a decorated resume that reflected the commanding star’s distinct presence on screen, having appeared in a slew of critically-acclaimed hits like Goodfellas, Field of Dreams, The Place Beyond the Pines, and Marriage Story. Liotta signed on to portray the character in February 2022, though he tragically passed away just three months later on May 26, 2022.
The character of the deplorable Harvey is meant to symbolize the intense scrutiny and hyper-sexualization women in Hollywood face on a daily basis, as he perpetuates the unattainable beauty standards and patriarchal fixation on youth in the industry. When Sue emerges from Elisabeth, Harvey sets out to capitalize on her looks and appeal, only seeing dollar signs and therefore continuing the vicious cycle females experience in the industry. Quaid went against type when he played the deeply unnerving and disgusting executive, and his villainous performance along with Moore and Qualley’s fantastic portrayals have helped The Substance become a triumph.
A Show-Stopping Horror Delight
The Substance made its electrifying premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, where it was selected to compete for the highly-prestigious Palme d’Or, earning both a 9-minute standing ovation and nabbing director Coralie Fargeat the award for Best Screenplay at the distinguished ceremony. Critics and audiences were blown away by the haunting performances of both Moore and Qualley as well as the scathingly clever approach to satire, with many deeming it a phenomenal body horror sensation. The Substance’s gruesome imagery and slick humor only add to the wow factor of the flick, which was further praised for its feminist perspective.
The chaotic final act of the film is sure to leave moviegoers stunned and sick to their stomachs over the eye-popping visuals, and audiences were completely transfixed as they watched Sue and Elisabeth self-implode and be the horrific downfall of one another. The Substance currently holds a stellar 90% Rotten Tomatoes score and has also won the People’s Choice Award for Midnight Madness at the Toronto International Film Festival, with many proclaiming that the horror hit marks the epic return to form by the underrated Moore. Entertainment Voice commended the actress and wrote in their rave review, “Surrounded by the anatomical deformities and clash between youthful fantasies and the terror of aging we find a fantastically revived Demi Moore.”
The Substance is currently in theaters.
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