Demi Moore Reflects on Controversy: “Striptease” Backlash and Breaking Hollywood’s Pay Ceiling

Actress opens up about the public’s harsh reactions to her roles in Striptease and G.I. Jane, her historic salary, and how gender politics shaped her career.

Demi Moore’s groundbreaking payday for Striptease didn’t come without its share of backlash. The actress, known for her bold career choices, recently spoke about the criticism surrounding her provocative role in the 1996 film and the controversy over her record-breaking $12.5 million salary.

In an appearance on The New York Times’ The Interview podcast, Moore reflected on the mixed reactions from the public: “With Striptease, it felt like I had betrayed women, and with G.I. Jane, I was seen as betraying men,” she explained. “The most fascinating part was how, as soon as I became the highest-paid actress, the narrative shifted to tearing me down. I didn’t take it personally — I believe anyone who had been the first to reach that level of pay equality would’ve faced similar criticism. But because Striptease involved the world of stripping and body image, I faced extreme shame.”

At the time, Moore was married to Bruce Willis, and their daughter Rumer even appeared in the film as her character’s child. While Willis was known for his iconic roles in films like Die Hard and Pulp Fiction, Moore never viewed her salary as a comparison to her husband’s but as a matter of principle. “It wasn’t about comparing myself to him,” she said. “I saw what he was making, but it was more about, why shouldn’t I be paid equally for the same amount of work?”

Moore also connected the backlash over her salary to her infamous Vanity Fair cover, where she posed pregnant and nude. “I never understood why pregnancy had to be hidden,” she said. “Why are we so uncomfortable with women showing their bodies? The idea seemed to be that if you show your belly, you’re admitting you’ve had sex — and that, somehow, was something to be ashamed of.”

Despite the criticism and controversy, Moore’s Striptease performance, and her fight for equal pay, remain defining moments in her career.