In a new interview, the Golden Globe-nominated actress reflects on the backlash and criticism she faced for her role and record-breaking salary in the film 'Striptease'.
- Sep 19, 2024
AceShowbiz - Golden Globe nominee Demi Moore has opened up about the controversy surrounding her role in the 1996 film "Striptease" and her then-record-breaking salary of $12.5 million.
"With 'Striptease,' it was as if I had betrayed women, and with 'G.I. Jane,' it was as if I had betrayed men," Moore explained on The New York Times' "The Interview" podcast.
She expressed her belief that the backlash stemmed from her becoming the highest-paid actress at the time. "Why is it that, at that moment, the choice was to bring me down?" she questioned. "Because I did a film that was dealing with the world of stripping and the body, I was extremely shamed."
In "Striptease", Moore portrayed Erin Grant, an ex-FBI office assistant who turns to stripping to regain custody of her daughter. Moore was married to Bruce Willis at the time, and their daughter, Rumer Willis, appeared in the film.
Moore acknowledged that she was aware of Willis's salary for his leading roles in films like "Die Hard" and "Pulp Fiction". "It was really more about: 'Why shouldn't I? If I'm doing the same amount of work, why shouldn't I?' " she said.
Despite earning $113 million globally, "Striptease" received negative reviews from critics. However, Moore remains unfazed by the criticism, stating, "I didn't understand why it was such a big deal, why women when they were pregnant needed to be hidden? Why is it that we have to deny that we had sex?"