‘This is the first time I’ve ever won anything’: Demi Moore calls out Hollywood misogyny in Golden Globes acceptance speech

Demi Moore won Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for The Substance at the 82nd Golden Globes. During her acceptance speech, she called out Hollywood misogyny, reflecting on how she had never won a major award before and had been told she was just a “popcorn actress.”

In The Substance, Moore portrays Elisabeth Sparkle, a 50-year-old woman who Hollywood and the television industry have rejected due to her age. After she is fired from her job on an aerobics TV show, she decides to try a black market serum called The Substance that promises to make her younger, more beautiful, and more perfect. Her younger version, Sue (Margaret Qualley), quickly becomes a sensation in Hollywood, but at a steep price. Through body horror and dark humor, the movie effectively tackles beauty standards and feels especially relevant due to Hollywood’s tendency to dismiss older women.

During the Golden Globes, host Nikki Glaser took a swipe at Hollywood’s ageism, stating, “It turns out if you’re a woman over 50 in a lead role, they call it a comeback; if you’re a guy over 50 in a lead role, congratulations, you’re about to play Sydney Sweeney’s boyfriend.” Indeed, Moore’s performance in The Substance has been widely hailed as a “comeback.” However, many seem to forget that Moore has always been here. She has been in the industry for over four decades. It makes The Substance seem less like a comeback and more like the actress finally getting the dues she’s owed.

Demi Moore reflects on her Hollywood experience at the Golden Globes

Upon winning Best Actress, Moore headed to the stage for her acceptance speech. Dazzling in a gorgeous metallic silk gown and clutching her trophy, Moore began her speech with a startling revelation, stating, “I’ve been doing this a long time, like over 45 years, and this is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor.” It’s hard to wrap one’s head around how Moore, a household name with a Hollywood career spanning 40+ years and nearly 60 film credits, has never won a significant award. However, she wasn’t exaggerating. The 82nd Golden Globes was the first time she ever won a top Hollywood award that wasn’t fan-voted.

Moore continued reflecting on Hollywood and how she had been made to believe she’d never be recognized. Though her name and acting talent would be utilized to drive blockbusters’ success, she was told she wasn’t allowed individual acknowledgment. She explained:

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 [award] wasn’t something that I was allowed to have. That I could do movies that were successful, that made a lot of money, but that I couldn’t be acknowledged, and I bought in, and I believed that.

The producer’s words stayed with Moore for a long time. It got to the point that she was ready to leave the industry, believing she “was complete.” Then, The Substance came across her desk. She said, “And the universe told me you’re not done.” She went on to thank The Substance team for their support and incredible work. Before exiting the stage, though, she had a message for women. She stated, “In those moments when we don’t think we’re smart enough or pretty enough, or skinny enough or successful enough, or basically just not enough. I had a woman say to me, ‘Just know, you will never be enough. But you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick.'”

Moore gave an incredible speech that likely resonated with women across the nation who are overlooked or deal with the pain of feeling like they are never enough. However, her speech also made it impossible to ignore the glaring misogyny in Hollywood. It’s an industry where producers apparently have no shame in using a woman’s name to drive their profits in blockbusters while knowing they’ll never reward or celebrate her. With incredible performances ranging from her roles in A Few Good Men to Ghost to G.I. Jane, Moore shouldn’t have had to wait over 40 years to have her moment. Her speech is a sobering reminder that, for many women, giving the performance of a lifetime is sometimes only part of winning an award. The other part is sometimes persevering through hostility and sexism for decades, making one’s achievements all the more incredible.