Mikey Madison’s surprise Oscar win suggests ‘The Substance’ was on to something
Mikey Madison took home the award for Best Actress instead of Demi Moore in a surprise Oscars twist that ironically reflects the plot of The Substance.
At the 97th Academy Awards, Moore was considered the frontrunner in the race for Best Actress for her critically acclaimed performance as Elizabeth Sparkle in The Substance. The film marked a significant comeback for Moore at a time when she was ready to give up Hollywood, which is notorious for its ageist attitude towards female actresses. Then, The Substance script arrived on her desk and would become one of the biggest horror films of the year. In the film, Moore portrays Sparkle, a former Academy Award winner who takes an experimental substance to create a younger, “better” version of herself after being fired from her job on her 50th birthday. It marked a career-best performance for Moore, who perfectly reflected the female experience in her vulnerable, brutal role.
Before the Oscars, Moore took home the Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice Award, and SAG Award for Best Actress for her performance, while Madison tapped the BAFTA Award for Best Actress. Hence, many expected and hoped for Moore to also take home the Oscar. Both actresses were very deserving, but the stakes were higher for Moore, who Hollywood had dismissed as a “popcorn actress” before her incredible comeback.
Did the Oscars just recreate the plot of The Substance?
Since Moore was the favorite to win Best Actress, audiences were stunned when Madison was declared the winner. Anora was Madison’s breakthrough role, while her award marked her first Oscar nomination and win. At just 25 years old, she joins a sparse list of actresses to win an Oscar before age 30. All of this is wildly impressive and well-deserved. However, it doesn’t erase the fact that Moore also deserved the Oscar. One can’t help but wonder what the deciding factor was in this incredibly close race, especially since the Oscars is typically reluctant to award breakthrough roles. As deserving as these two actresses were, it’s hard not to perceive the surprising win as the Academy Awards passing up Moore for a younger actress.
Ironically, the plot of The Substance revolves around the idea of an older actress being passed up for a younger one. The entire movie is centered around Hollywood’s mistreatment of older actresses. Moore was a strong lead choice because she lived that experience. Hence, for social media users, her loss to Madison proved The Substance‘s point. Paolo Ugetti wrote, “Demi Moore losing to Mikey Madison is basically the plot of the Substance.”
While some feel the Academy was discounting Moore because of her age, it’s a bit of a reach to make. After all, given that Madison is one of only 10 actresses under 30 to win Best Actress, it demonstrates how the Oscars actually tend to favor more experienced actors over younger ones. The snub may be unrelated to age and have more to do with the Oscars’ long-held tendency to dismiss the horror genre. The fact that The Substance even landed a nomination in the Best Picture category was a surprise and considered a rare occurrence. While it was a sign of Hollywood’s attitude toward horror shifting, the fact it lost every major category aside from Best Makeup and Hairstyling suggests these attitudes still haven’t shifted enough.
Ultimately, though, the fact that it’s hard to tell whether Moore’s loss was Hollywood’s bias against horror or bias against women is testimony enough that ageism is still a problem in the entertainment industry.
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