Demi Moore “Was extremely shamed” for a $12.5 Million Movie Role That Made Her Strip

Demi Moore’s career might not be as well-going as it used to be, but she is still a subject of substantial media attention. She made her film debut in the early 1980s, and in the same year as the movie’s release, she graced the covers of the adult magazine Oui, for which she posed n*de.

Years later, she caused a stir once again when she played a role that made her the world’s highest-paid actress. She has recently addressed the backlash that came with her performance in the movie. She also revealed how it affected her to learn that she was being thrown under the bus for doing a job that put her by the side of her male colleagues. This was at a time when there was a huge pay disparity between male and female actors.

Demi Moore on How Doing a High-paying Daring Role Made People Criticize Her

Every industry has its own challenges and so does acting. It is also no secret that there is a pay disparity among male and female workers in every field. Show business is a quite competitive line of business. This is especially true for women who are often judged for their looks and have their choices scrutinized.

Demi Moore is aware of this kind of narcissism and is finally addressing how playing an erotic dancer in the 1996 comedy Striptease made many people look down upon her. She was paid $12.5 million for the role, making her the world’s highest-paid actress, but the success also came with a downside.

People were not very happy about her role and even “shamed” her for doing it. She is now blasting those critics for their blatant remarks. In a genuine interview on The New York Times podcast The Interview, the actress said:

What was interesting is that when I became the highest-paid actress, people chose to tear me down. It wasn’t personal. I think anyone in my shoes—the first woman to really break through that pay gap—would have been targeted. But because I did a film that was dealing with the world of stripping and the body, I was extremely shamed.

It is not every day a female actress chooses to do a role in which she has to do erotic scenes. Add to that the fact that Moore did it in the ’90s, and it is no surprise that the actress was chided for doing the role.

Demi Moore on Why She Believes Doing Striptease Was “Powerful”

Striptease follows the story of a single mother, a former FBI secretary, who turns to erotic dancing so that she can be financially strong enough to gain custody of her daughter. The film is based on Carl Hiaasen’s 1993 best-selling novel of the same name. The controversy surrounding it led to a career downturn for Moore.

In another interview with Variety, she revealed that she felt empowered by doing that role. It meant that she changed the film landscape in some way for other women in the business.

That moment was so powerful for me because it wasn’t just about me; it was about changing the playing field for all women. But because I was portraying a stripper, I betrayed women. 

She also said that she understood that anyone who would have done what she did would have to face the same consequences.

The narrative quickly became “Well, she’s only getting paid that number because she’s playing a stripper.” It hit me really hard. But at the same time, I understood that anybody who steps out first is going to take the hit. That goes for anybody challenging the status quo.

The Ghost actress was also somewhat criticized for her role in Ridley Scott’s 1997 film G. I. Jane. In the film, she played Lieutenant Jordan O’Neill, who had a shaved head. Even so, she does not have any regrets about either of these roles.

Striptease is available for streaming on Paramount+ and G.I. Jane is available for streaming on Tubi.