Demi Moore, star of 'The Substance,' reveals that her insecurities about her body drove her to take on racy roles.

Some of Demi Moore's professional choices were driven by her need to address her personal insecurities.

In a Variety interview, the 61-year-old actress discussed her reasons for taking on racy roles in films such as "Striptease" and posing nude for Vanity Fair magazine covers during her peak fame.

"I am often misunderstood as loving my body," Moore stated.

I continued, 'The reality is, so much of it was me calling in certain projects that would give me an opportunity to help me overcome insecurities about my body.'

The "Ghost" actor stated that his feelings towards Vanity Fair covers were not about love, but rather an attempt to break free from the self-imposed bondage he had created.

She revealed that her attraction to daring roles was driven by breaking gender stereotypes.

Moore stated that things that provoke thought, not in a sexual manner, have always intrigued him.

She continued, "Take 'Striptease': There was an interesting kind of judgment placed on a woman who worked as a dancer, but the idea was that this was a woman trying to take care of her child in the best way she could. With 'G.I. Jane,' I thought, 'if a woman is skilled enough and has the desire to [serve], why wouldn’t we want her there?'

"The door's closure did not make sense to me. My films often shared similar themes. Both "Indecent Proposal" and "Disclosure" dealt with similar issues. We had never witnessed a woman acting as the aggressor or abuser before."

In the 1980s, Demi Moore rose to fame and sparked controversy when she posed nude for a Vanity Fair cover while pregnant with her daughter. She repeated the act in 1992 and 2019, appearing completely nude on the covers of Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar, respectively.

In the mid-90s, Moore was the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, but the critical and commercial failure of "Striptease" and 1997's "G.I. Jane" marked the beginning of a sharp decline in her career.

When asked about which of her movies didn't receive proper recognition, Moore mentioned both films while speaking with Variety.

""The release of 'G.I. Jane' was met with opposition before it even hit theaters, but I managed to star in 'Striptease' and 'G.I. Jane' consecutively, which made me the highest-paid actress in the industry despite the challenges," she remembered."

That moment was so powerful for me because it wasn't just about me; it was about changing the playing field for all women," Moore stated. "But because I was portraying a stripper, I betrayed women. And because I played a soldier, I betrayed men.

"The realization that the narrative was about a stripper's payment hit me hard. However, I understood that anyone who takes the first step will face the consequences, regardless of whether they are challenging the norm."

Moore stated to Variety that she would "definitely" repeat her choices if given the chance to relive the situation.

""My experience is all I have because they gave me so much in 'Striptease' and 'G.I. Jane,'" she said."

"The Substance," starring Moore, received a 13-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

In the movie, Moore portrays a 50-year-old famous person who employs an experimental medication to transform into a younger version of herself. Moore and her co-star Qualley, who depicts the younger version of her character, are seen in several full-frontal nude scenes together.

During the Cannes press conference for "The Substance," Moore praised Qualley for making her feel at ease while filming.

"Moore stated through Variety that they had a fantastic partner who made them feel safe and secure. "We were very close, both emotionally and physically, and we found a lot of humor in the absurdity of the situations we encountered," Moore added."

"Ultimately, it's about effectively directing communication and building mutual trust," she stated.