As I’ve mentioned in several posts now, I saw The Substance over the holidays and I loathed it. While I thought it was an interesting concept and *some* of the body horror was well-executed, they really drove the whole story off of a f–king cliff for the last hour. It was trying to be high-minded about the toxic messages of worshipping youth and beauty, but they also wanted to exploit youth and beauty too. Anyway, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley did the best they could with the material they were given, and both actresses are getting nominations all over the place. Demi has been campaigning more than Margaret, but Margaret has just introduced a “struggle narrative” to her campaign. Apparently, because of all of the facial prosthetics, she had a severe breakout which affected her for about a year.
In a recent interview on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Margaret Qualley said it took “a year” for her skin to recover from the irritation caused by the face prosthetics used in “The Substance.” The damage was so bad that director Coralie Fargeat had to frame out her face in certain shots.
“At the end, when they’re shooting up my skirt in the beginning credits, and it’s like the palm trees all around and they have all these long lenses from the bottom, that’s just because my face was so f–ked up,” Qualley said. “They couldn’t shoot my face anymore.”
The acne from the prosthetics lasted long after “The Substance” wrapped and persisted as she began shooting her next film, “Kinds of Kindness,” in which she played four characters: Vivian, Martha, Rebecca and Ruth. Luckily, the acne played to her benefit in the Yorgos Lanthimos drama.
“So, you know the character that has all that acne? That was just my acne from the prosthetics,” Qualley said. “And I was like, ‘Oh this is kind of perfect. I’m playing all these different characters. For one of them, we’ll use all my crazy prosthetic acne.’ It took me probably a year to recover physically from all of it.”
This reminded me of Scarlett Johansson talking about how all of the Marvel actors get rashes from their superhero suits and they basically have dermatologists on stand-by. Honestly, as someone who gets a rash at the drop of a hat, Margaret’s story is its own horror story. She should sue! Seriously, her skin’s reaction to those janky prosthetics affected her work! Does this make you want to vote for her in the supporting category?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 16: (L-R) Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore attend the Los Angeles Premiere of “The Substance” at Directors Guild Of America on September 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 909074653, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Margaret Qualley, Demi Moore, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer/Avalon/Avalon
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- 2024 Governors Awards at Dolby Ballroom on November 17, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA,Image: 936001955, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Margaret Qualley,Demi Moore, Credit line: Nicky Nelson/Wenn/Avalon
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- Margaret Qualley and Demi Moore arrive at the 15th Governors Awards in the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, November 17, 2024.,Image: 936354754, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Avalon Licensing Ltd. do not claim any Copyright of the attached image WORLD RIGHTS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon/Avalon
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- Margaret Qualley bei der Verleihung der 82. Golden Globe Awards 2025 im Beverly Hilton Hotel. Beverly Hills, 05.01.2025 *** Margaret Qualley at the 82 Golden Globe Awards 2025 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Beverly Hills, 05 01 2025 Foto:xJ.xBlocx/xFuturexImagex globes_5230,Image: 952046155, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jennifer Bloc/Avalon/Avalon
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- Margaret Qualley bei der Verleihung der 82. Golden Globe Awards 2025 im Beverly Hilton Hotel. Beverly Hills, 05.01.2025 *** Margaret Qualley at the 82 Golden Globe Awards 2025 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Beverly Hills, 05 01 2025 Foto:xJ.xBlocx/xFuturexImagex globes_5229,Image: 952047645, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jennifer Bloc/Avalon/Avalon
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- BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – JANUARY 05: Margaret Qualley wearing Chanel arrives at the 82nd Annual Golden Globe Awards held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 952085597, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Margaret Qualley, Credit line: Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Avalon
She should sue?? 🤣 🤣 🤣 and it was a FANTASTIC MOVIE.
I liked the Substance but I agree, it went off the rails a little in the third act. Margaret was fabulous though. She’s on the cusp of an Oscar nomination in the incredibly stacked Supporting Actress category; I hope she snags a nom!
The Substance is my fave new movie. Demi should win the Oscar for female lead actor.
As much as some people hated it, the director / writer Coralie Fargeat had to fight for the third act “Monster ElisaSue”. I definitely liked it, but I can see it would be too much for some people. There is a behind the scenes video released for the movie on youtube. It is phenomenal how detailed Coralie created the story and how little effects she used. She said she tried to create the characters physically instead of using editing, special effects, so the actors can fully embrace the characters in the scene. I can’t imagine what Demi had to endure in those prosthetics most of the movie.
I’m 71 and still have to avoid lotions or makeup with ANY oil in them. I still get acne. It’s tough to find the right products that are oil-free but make my “mature” skin feel moisturized. I often think about all that makeup that actors are slathered with and wonder how many of them break out because of it…
Longtime lurker here, partner of a special effects makeup artist that feels compelled
to speak before people automatically pile up on the poor IATSE members who did her makeup. I call serious bs on this. Almost every time an actor has pulled this it’s been debunked. Everything would’ve been done by her makeup artists to protect her skin from breakout. There is an involved process in both applying & removing prosthetics from the skin. Even severe allergic reactions to the foam latex or silicone (like John Rhys-Davies in Lord of the Rings for example) start healing as soon as you stop filming. And are not the fault of the makeup artist. Artists HATE when actors try to ride the struggle bus to nominations by dissing their work or implying they weren’t professional enough to keep them from harm. She’s trying to get nominations but she’s screwing with people’s careers here. Not cool.
Wellllllll… everyone is different, my skin would be ravaged for a year after having it covered up with glues and glops and all the goods they use. It’s in NO WAY a reflection on the makeup artists themselves, I’m sure they DO do everything they can to ensure the best and safest experience for the actor, but a lot of these things being used are actually toxic to some people: sensitive, you may have heard of it. I believe she had issues for a year, that’s a lot for fragile skin to go through. I’m extremely sensitive to things many people aren’t – scents like laundry soaps and softener, hand soap scents, candles, etc. etc., – so you have to know that just because maybe ‘most people’ don’t have issues for a year afterwards doesn’t in any way negate her story or make it untrue.
I don’t watch almost any TV and I only watch old movies I have already seen because I am so sensitive to conflict and sadness in shows. But something about the summary of this movie intrigued me so I watched it three days ago. It is probably in my top three favorite movies ever. I am 55 and I have never seen or read something that so accurately portrayed the experience of the older woman, especially an older woman who has had children (especially by c section). The violence we do to ourselves and is done to us by society. The invisibility. I keep thinking about all the symbolism and layers in this movie. And the set design and sound and cinematography were amazing.
Her comment reminds me of Austin Butler’s complaint that speaking in Elvis’s accent almost ruined his vocal chords. And Margaret Qualley got acne for a year. Methinks someone wants a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. You suffered for your art! This is a snarky comment because I had a hellish day. It is what it is. Where is my Oscar?