Cast of The Substance

The 2024 body horror film The Substance is written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. It centres on Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), a fading celebrity who uses an illegal substance that produces a much younger version of herself (Margaret Qualley) with surprising side effects, after being dismissed by her producer (Dennis Quaid) for being too old.

It had its world premiere on May 19, 2024 at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. Mubi distributed it in theatres in the US and the UK on September 20, 2024. Metropolitan Filmexport released it in France on November 6, 2024.

The main cast of The Substance

Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkle

The American actress Demi Moore portrays Elisabeth Sparkle in the film.

Moore, who first gained fame in the early 1980s, was the highest-paid actress in 1995. She has won several awards for her performances and her nominations include both the Academy Award and the British Academy Film Award. She also won a Golden Globe for her performance in the film.

Margaret Qualley as Sue

The American actress Margaret Qualley portrays Sue in the film.

Margaret Qualley trained as a ballet dancer in her youth. Her first acting job was in the drama film Palo Alto (2013), and she became well-known for her supporting role in the drama series The Leftovers on HBO from 2014 to 2017.

Dennis Quaid as Harvey

The American actor Dennis Quaid portrays Harvey in the film.

In the 1980s, Dennis Quaid's career reached its zenith owing to his primary roles in popular films like "The Right Stuff," in which he played astronaut Gordon Cooper, and "Great Balls of Fire!" in which he played rock 'n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis.

Other cast of The Substance

Given below is a list of all the supporting cast in the film:

• Edward Hamilton Clark as Fred

• Gore Abrams as Oliver

• Oscar Lesage as Troy

• Christian Erickson as man at diner

• Robin Greer as nurse

• Tom Morton as doctor

• Hugo Diego Garcia as Diego, boyfriend

• Yann Bean as The Substance voice

What is The Substance about?

Former Hollywood movie actress Elisabeth Sparkle, who is now in a state of decline is unexpectedly dismissed from her long-running aerobics TV show on her 50th birthday. Producer Harvey cites her advanced age for the termination. She gets into a serious accident while driving home because she is distracted by a billboard that shows herself being pulled down.

During a hospital examination, a young male nurse hands her a flash drive advertising The Substance, a serum that makes one a "younger, more beautiful, more perfect" version of themselves. A considerably younger version of herself emerges from a slit in her back after Elisabeth orders The Substance and injects the single-use activator serum.