Demi Moore Honored at Variety Cover Party

The “Demi-ssance” is taking the Toronto Film Festival by storm.

And Demi Moore, who is at the center of the tempest thanks to her go-for-broke performance as an actress who makes a pact with the devil in return for eternal youth in “The Substance,” was celebrated on Friday night at the Variety Cover Party at TIFF, sponsored by J. Crew and Shark.

“I am extremely humbled by this whole experience,” Moore, who was accompanied by her teacup Chihuahua, Pilaf, said in brief remarks. “This film has some very powerful themes about aging and beauty, about the standards of which we all hold ourselves to.”

Moore went on to say that she hoped that the movie will prompt conversations about “the negative self talk” that many people experience, one that might lead to “a cultural shift.” It would be a change in perception that Moore stressed could lead to “the greater expansion of beauty in all its forms, shapes, sizes, colors, preferences.”

Variety co-editor-in-chief Ramin Setoodeh said that the magazine’s staff had pushed to have Moore grace the cover after watching “The Substance,” a body horror film that skewers Hollywood ageism with savage wit and buckets of blood, in Cannes. “We flipped for it,” he said.

Moore wasn’t the only major talent at Variety‘s party. Guests included “The Substance” director Coralie Fargeat, “John Wick: Chapter 4” star Shamier Anderson, Oscar-winning “Conclave” composer Volker Bertelmann, “The Fire Inside” director Rachel Morrison, and BAFTA Chief Executive Officer Jane Millichip.

In her cover story with Variety, Moore said “The Substance” was attractive because it was so brutally honest about the pressure that women face to fit a rigid mold.

“I had no fear about the subject matter,” she said. “I know how relatable the story really is. But I put a lot of thoughtful consideration into the level of vulnerability and rawness that was required. The things that push you out of your comfort zone are also what give you the greatest opportunity for growth.”