Demi Moore's Golden Globes speech is a glittering crown on a 45-year career

The Golden Globes are one of Hollywood's most important parties. Like any great party, we wake up with a hangover and plenty of time to reflect on the night. The post-war drama "The Brutalist" and the drug-fueled musical thriller "Emilia Perez" emerged as the biggest winners of the night (and major Oscar contenders). The Japanese historical drama "Shōgun" once again swept the awards.

"Wicked" was a victim of the "Barbie" effect, only winning one award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement after receiving four nominations. Zendaya was spotted wearing a ring on her left hand, sparking rumors of her engagement to Tom Holland. Meanwhile, comedian Nikki Glaser seemed to win over the audience, becoming the first woman to host the Golden Globes solo.

However, the most noteworthy moment of the night was when Demi Moore won Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy for her comeback role in the gory body horror film "The Substance." Her win not only puts the 62-year-old actress in a favorable position for the Oscar season, but also brings renewed attention to horror films. In the 95-year history of the Oscars, only six horror films have been nominated for Best Picture.

Moore then delivered a perfect three-minute speech, looking back on her career and touching on the core values of "The Substance," captivating fans with her confidence and inspiring words. In her speech, she expressed surprise, saying, "I've been acting for 45 years, and this is the first time I've won an award as an actor." She also recalled a producer calling her a "popcorn actress" 30 years ago, which at one point made her think she wasn't worthy of recognition and caused her frustration.

Moore continued, saying that it wasn't until the script for "The Substance" came along that she realized she was "not done yet." She ultimately expressed the core values of the film in her speech: "When we think we're not smart enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough, or basically not enough of anything, a lady once said to me, 'Know that you will never be enough, but if you drop the measuring stick, you can know your worth.'"

Following Moore's speech, "popcorn actress" became a hot topic of discussion. According to Vogue, "popcorn movies" are those measured by their entertainment value and box office revenue rather than critical acclaim or contribution to film discourse. Therefore, "popcorn actors" are those who tend to star in these types of films. Moore starred in "Ghost," the highest-grossing film of 1990, and also achieved box office success with "A Few Good Men" in 1992, "Indecent Proposal" in 1993, and "Disclosure" in 1994. Despite this, Moore has not won any awards, only receiving a few nominations for "Ghost," "If These Walls Could Talk," and "Bobby."

Directed by Coralie Fargeat, "The Substance" is a hyper-gory allegory about aging and how society treats women who dare to age, shocking and delighting audiences since its release last September. The film tells the story of Elizabeth Spark (played by Moore), a TV fitness coach who is pushed off her show for turning 50. To reclaim her former glory, Elizabeth uses the titular substance, causing a younger version of herself to explode from her back. "The Substance" has been called a "brilliant, disgusting body horror" by critics, so Moore's win is not only a milestone in her personal career, but also represents a breakthrough for horror films.

Major award ceremonies have consistently overlooked horror films, partly because the genre does not have a dedicated award category, so they tend to be grouped into the comedy/musical category like "The Substance" at the Golden Globes. In the 95-year history of the Oscars, only six horror films have been nominated for Best Picture, and only one ("The Silence of the Lambs" in 1991) has won the trophy. It has been 15 years since a horror performance won the Oscar for Best Actress (Natalie Portman for "Black Swan"). Moore's win and her brilliant speech make it highly possible for her to break the 15-year Oscar Best Actress drought for horror films.

The Golden Globes are often seen as a bellwether for the Oscars, but as Nate Jones of Vulture pointed out, the recent restructuring of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association means it may not be as predictive as it once was. The drug-fueled musical "Emilia Perez" swept four awards out of ten nominations, putting it in the lead in some predictions. The Hollywood Reporter's Feinberg predicts that the film is a frontrunner for Best Director and Zoe Saldana for Best Supporting Actress. But their sweep has also sparked some criticism of the film, namely that its portrayal of Mexican culture is not graceful enough.

Brady Corbet's "The Brutalist" won Best Director and Best Picture/Drama, increasing his chances of winning the Oscar for Best Picture. Gold Derby lists the film as the number one pick. Although the "Wicked" team seemed excited when they won the Golden Globe for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, their failure to win any other awards has dealt a blow to their Oscar chances. As entertainment reporter Jared Richards said, "Before tonight, I thought Ariana Grande was a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actress. Maybe voters are a bit tired of 'Wicked'?"

Sean Baker's "Anora" was another film that suffered setbacks at the Golden Globes, failing to win any awards out of five nominations. Nevertheless, Gold Derby still considers the lead actress, Mikey Madison, a strong contender for the Oscar for Best Actress. There are still several important award ceremonies between now and the Oscars in March, so there is still plenty of time for the frontrunners to adjust and change.