Demi Moore Reflects on Historic ‘Striptease’ Salary and Equal Pay Struggles

Demi Moore made history in 1996 when she became the highest-paid female actor in Hollywood, earning $12.5 million for her role in “Striptease.”  But with that landmark payday came criticism. In a recent conversation on The New York Times “The Interview” podcast, while promoting her new film “The Substance,” Moore opened up about the backlash she faced for commanding a salary comparable to male actors.

Reflecting on that time, Moore noted how her rising success was met with attempts to tear her down. “With Striptease, it felt like I had betrayed women, and with G.I. Jane,” I supposedly betrayed men,” she explained. “But the bigger question is why, when I became the highest-paid actress, did people try to bring me down? I don’t take it personally; I think anyone who achieved that level of pay equity would have faced similar attacks. But because I played a stripper, I was especially shamed.”

At the time of her “Striptease” success, Moore was married to action star Bruce Willis. While she didn’t compare her career to his, she acknowledged the sizable paychecks he was receiving and believed her compensation was justified.
“It wasn’t about competing with Bruce,” Moore clarified. “I saw what he was being paid, but my question was, ‘Why shouldn’t I be paid the same if I’m doing the same amount of work?’ It’s no different from when I did the Vanity Fair cover while pregnant. I didn’t understand why showing a pregnant belly was controversial. Why should women hide that part of their lives? The fear is that showing your belly somehow reveals you’ve had sex, and that’s taboo.”

During an interview with Variety, Moore further explained the significance of her record-breaking *Striptease* salary, emphasizing that it was more than a personal victory. “It was powerful because it wasn’t just for me—it was about changing the landscape for all women. But because I portrayed a stripper, the narrative became that I had somehow betrayed women.”
She acknowledged how the backlash claimed her high salary was only because of her role, but Moore saw this as part of the price of challenging the status quo. “Anyone who steps out first to challenge the norm is going to take the hit,” she said.
Demi Moore’s latest film *The Substance* premieres in theaters on September 20.