Margaret Qualley opened up about the challenges she faced while filming "The Substance" and the specific aspect of the production that was grueling.

The movie is about Elizabeth Sparkle, a popular aerobics TV presenter portrayed by Demi Moore, who decides to experiment with a mysterious anti-aging drug that promises to rejuvenate her in a younger body, portrayed by Qualley. However, the drug comes with unexpected and disturbing side effects.

In a recent interview with Vogue Australia, Qualley, 30, admitted that despite the movie's success, the filming process was far from smooth sailing.

Transformation and Makeup Challenges

During the filming of "The Substance," Qualley transformed with the use of prosthetics in the movie's gruesome climax. She confessed to feeling anxious throughout the process, enduring six-hour sessions in the make-up chair daily for their application.

She shared that portraying her role in the movie was challenging due to the strict script and the pressure to deliver flawless performances.

The movie addressed the challenge of unrealistic beauty standards in Hollywood, shedding light on the issue and describing the filming process as extremely "precise."

"[Coralie Fargeat, the movie's director] wasn't looking for happy accidents, it's so controlled, so precise," the Montana-born celebrity told Vogue Australia.

"It was very challenging to shoot because I get a lot of joy out of free-falling, out of the feeling that anything could happen at any moment."

Qualley also spoke of her preference for acting, mentioning the freedom to improvise and learn from mistakes. This marked a departure from her earlier days of intense dance competitions, where perfection was vital.

Shifting Gears

While Qualley has embraced unconventional characters in films like Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things" and "Kinds of Kindness," she confessed to wanting to shift away from "arty" movies towards more mainstream genres.

This is due to the fact that she does not enjoy watching such movies personally.

"I've been in a lot of obscure, arty movies, and they're not actually the movies I like to watch, and I think I wanna start being in stuff that I would wanna watch."

"And I think I wanna start being in stuff that I would wanna watch. I wanna do movies where I keep my clothes on, and I don't die in the end. The bar is low."

"I'm so thirsty for a rom-com. I'm manifesting."

However, she acknowledged the positive reception of her movies and expressed her gratitude and excitement. "It's exciting when something becomes a part of the culture. I think that's what most artists are setting out to do: put enough of themselves into something that it feels somewhat universal."

Qualley, who is married to music producer and Taylor Swift collaborator Jack Antonoff, has garnered a Golden Globes nomination for her performance as Best Supporting Actress in the horror satire.

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Margaret Qualley