Los Angeles, Mar 4 (V7N) – At the 2025 Academy Awards, life seemed to imitate art for Demi Moore, whose loss to Mikey Madison for Best Actress sparked comparisons to her role in The Substance. In the film, Moore plays an aging actress, Elisabeth Sparkle, who becomes jealous of her younger alter ego, Sue, after taking an experimental drug. Fans quickly pointed out the irony of Moore losing to Madison, a much younger and relatively unknown actress.

"Fans couldn’t help but draw parallels between Moore's loss and the plot of The Substance," said one social media user. The post comparing Moore’s Oscar defeat to her character's struggles in the movie received over 250,000 likes. Another user lamented the situation, writing, "It’s sad to see how older women are treated at the Oscars."

While Moore had been seen as the frontrunner for Best Actress after winning several major awards leading up to the Oscars, Madison’s performance in Anora won over the Academy. The film also took home five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker.

Despite her loss, Moore made history as her first Oscar nomination was for her role in The Substance. Meanwhile, Madison, known for her roles in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Scream, gave a heartfelt speech acknowledging the sex worker community during her acceptance.

Though The Substance was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress, it only won one award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.

The Substance is currently available for streaming on Mubi and can also be rented on platforms like Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.

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