Demi Moore has revealed that she was shamed by those in Hollywood after she became the highest paid actress in the world for her role in the 1996 film, Striptease.
The actress, 61, who is one of Hollywood’s greats since she shot to fame in the film Ghost, made history after securing £9.38million for her role in the iconic film. Demi starred as Erin who made the decision to earn more money dancing in a strip club, in a bid to raise funds to regain custody of her daughter.
And while you would expect the film star to have been congratulated, the complete opposite occurred back in the 90s. In an interview with the New York Times podcast The Interview, she said: “Well, with Striptease, it was as if I had betrayed women, and with GI Jane, it was as if I had betrayed men.” And it seems the backlash was over her playing an exotic dancer.
She continued: “But I think the interesting piece is that when I became the highest-paid actress – why is it that, at that moment, the choice was to bring me down? I don’t take this personally. I think anyone who had been in the position that was the first to get that kind of equality of pay would probably have taken a hit. But because I did a film that was dealing with the world of stripping and the body, I was extremely shamed.” At the time, Demi was married to legendary actor Bruce Willis and believed her salary was justified considering how much he was being paid for his roles, including Die Hard.
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AFP via Getty Images)
She added: “It wasn’t about comparing myself to him. Yes, I saw what he got paid. It was really more about ‘Why shouldn’t I? If I’m doing the same amount of work, why shouldn’t I?’ And it’s no different than when I did the cover for Vanity Fair pregnant. I didn’t understand why it was such a big deal, why women when they were pregnant needed to be hidden? Why is it that we have to deny that we had sex? That’s the fear, right, that if you show your belly, that means, oh, my gosh, you’ve had sex.”
When news emerged of her record-breaking salary, it set the bar higher for all women in the industry. Demi, is still a lead actress and is now starring in another film, titled The Substance. The silver screen star plays Elisabeth Sparkle, who is a former fitness guru who starts taking a mystery injection to look younger and become news worthy again.
Speaking to The Independent she said the film gave her liberation. She said: “I knew there were going to be shots that highlighted my flaws, but those allowed me to find acceptance and appreciation in myself. It was about surrendering. I had to let go of any parts of me that value perfection.”
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