Demi Moore Says $12.5 Million ‘Striptease’ Salary Wasn’t About Being Compared to Bruce Willis: ‘If I’m Doing the Same Amount of Work, Why Shouldn’t I’ Be Paid?

As a cinephile who has traversed through the annals of Hollywood for decades, I must say that Demi Moore’s journey is one that resonates deeply with me. Her story is a poignant reminder of the challenges women face when they dare to break barriers and challenge the status quo.


Demi Moore earned the title of the world’s highest-paid female actor in 1996, receiving a paycheck of $12.5 million for “Striptease”. However, this achievement seemed to spark criticism and attempts to undermine her success, as she noticed people trying to bring her down as soon as her earnings began to rival those of male actors, during an interview on The New York Times’ podcast “The Interview”, while promoting her film “The Substance”.

In ‘Striptease’ and ‘G.I. Jane,’ it felt like I had let down both women and men, according to Moore. The intriguing aspect is, when I became the highest-paid actress, why was there a push to undermine me at that very moment? I don’t view this as personal; I believe anyone who pioneered such equal pay would likely face backlash. However, since I starred in a film exploring stripping and bodily themes, I experienced immense shame.

At the point when Demi Moore received her payment from “Striptease”, she was married to the renowned actor, Bruce Willis. Although she didn’t explicitly compare her career to his, she was conscious of the earnings he received for his films and believed it was entirely justifiable for her to earn what she did on “Striptease”.

Moore explained that it wasn’t about competing with him, but rather questioning fairness. He had noticed his compensation, but the real issue was more about, “Why not me? If I’m putting in the same effort, why shouldn’t I receive equal pay?” This sentiment is similar to when she did the Vanity Fair cover while pregnant. She didn’t understand why it was such a big deal or why women during pregnancy were often hidden. Her confusion extended to societal norms that make it seem taboo for women to openly discuss their pregnancies, as if showing a baby bump implies they have had sexual relations. The underlying concern is that revealing one’s pregnant state might be misunderstood or judged.

In a recent feature article for EbMaster, Moore expressed that earning her groundbreaking “Striptease” paycheck was incredibly impactful for her as it wasn’t solely about her personal success; instead, it aimed to reshape the industry landscape for all women. However, due to the character she played being a stripper, she felt as though she had let down other women.

The story took a turn, implying her pay was due to her role as a stripper. This struck me deeply, yet I realized that whoever initiates a challenge will inevitably face criticism, regardless of who is disrupting the norm.

Moore’s latest movie, titled “The Substance”, premieres in cinemas starting September 20th, exclusively through Mubi. For a comprehensive conversation with the director, tune into The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast by following this link.

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2024-09-18 01:46