The Substance: how Pierre-Olivier Persin transformed Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley with prosthetic make-up design

The Substance, by French director Coralie Fargeat starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley, premiered in September (2024). In just a few short weeks, the film has caused a cultural stir, securing its place in the body horror canon (although in her film review for Wallpaper*, Billie Walker begged to differ). And there is little doubt it will be discussed and analysed for years to come.

While speaking to the zeitgeist of the 2020s, an era of casualised plastic surgery, ‘weight loss injections’ and FaceApp, The Substance is also rich with references to 20th-century film and television, in a satirical narration of how society’s obsession with youth and beauty got us to this point.

At the centre of the story is Elisabeth Sparkle (Moore), a ‘faded’ Hollywood darling with a neglected star on the Walk of Fame, vying for a comeback after being informed, in no uncertain terms, that she is past her prime. This news is callously delivered over lunch one day, by a sleazy, shrimp-gobbling TV executive Harvey (Dennis Quaid).

The ensuing battle of body and mind between Sparkle and Sue – Elisabeth’s ‘other self’, played by Margaret Qualley, who is created via an intravenous infusion of ‘The Substance’ – there are echoes of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (Robert Aldrich, 1962). As Davis, who acted the part of Baby Jane Hudson through a smeared mask of thick stage make-up, reportedly once said herself: ‘Old age ain’t for sissies’.

Fargeat also pays homage to David Lynch’s The Elephant Man (1980) and David Cronenberg’s remake of The Fly (1986), with a predominant use of practical effects. Intent on preventing spoilers of Moore and Qualley’s grotesque transformations, the director had placed an embargo on images, preventing their circulation on the internet until yesterday (31 October 2024), when The Substance became available to stream on Mubi in time for Halloween.

Last night, the two lead actors also took to Instagram to share their characters of ‘Gollum’ and ‘Monstro Elisasue’, which came to life through the work of prosthetic make-up artist Pierre-Olivier Persin. Here, he speaks with Wallpaper* about his collaborative design process with Fargeat.

The Substance: an interview with prosthetic make-up artist Pierre-Olivier Persin

Wallpaper*: How long have you been working in SFX and prosthetic make-up design; how have you seen the craft change over the years?

Pierre-Olivier Persin: I started in 1994 – so it’s been precisely 30 years this year. There are certainly some techniques and approaches we used to do that we don’t do anymore, or we now only use once in a blue moon. But, I would say that I have never been as busy as I am now. The consensus [in film] is that even with the current developments in technology, visual effects supervisors will try to obtain as much as they can during the principal photography. Then what we have shot can be adjusted or enhanced digitally. I think also because of the new cameras which shoot in such high definition, all practical prosthetics materials have evolved too. And so I think what we do is so much better than it was 20 or 25 years ago.

W*: And what was your and Coralie Fargeat’s approach when it came to designing prosthetics for The Substance?

POP: There was a very long design process with Coralie: every element, every prosthetic, every bit of make-up, even down to the wounds, had to be designed very precisely, because the film is mostly practical effects [without digital enhancement] and also key to the storyline. And they were not quick or easy to achieve. The most challenging was creating ‘Monstro Elisasue’. Coralie wanted a ‘feminine’ monster; like an elephant but wearing ballet shoes. Something tragic and monstrous, yet graceful. So it took at least three or four months to find the right balance and a design she approved of.

W*: Technically speaking, what are we seeing on screen with ‘Monstro Elisasue’?

POP: Mould-making, running silicone, sculpting, painting, more moulding… This is all applied to a full latex ‘suit’ worn by the actors, with elements that can be animated. We built what were essentially sophisticated puppets that moved through mechanisms operated by hand so that Coralie could direct the sort of motion she wanted. So I would have my hand inside the head, or the back, or the tummy. And she could say to me ‘faster’ or ‘slower’. Being able to adjust this in real-time is what I think is so special about practical effects. And then you have a hood and the facial prosthetics sticking out, which are also made of silicone and glued onto the face so there is enough movement to convey emotion, too.

W*: How long did this all take to apply to Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley?

P-OP: It takes a long, long time to apply with chemicals and glues. The prosthetics are heavy and it’s hot inside – almost like being in an oven. For Margaret’s ‘Monstro Elisasue’ it was about three hours. For Demi as ‘Gollum’ – who is probably my favourite character in the film – it was much longer because everything was glued onto her from the moment she lies in the bathroom with the stitches down her back until the final form. Both were real troopers.

W*: What other films and works of art have informed your work as a prosthetic artist?

P-OP: Ah, this is like choosing between your children. There are lots I like, from classic artists such as Michelangelo, who was a master of drawing and painting anatomy, to contemporary artists, like Ron Mueck. I’ve worked with quite a few amazing British prosthetics artists; Barrie Gower and Mark Coulier are very inspiring. Mark worked on Poor Things [2023, Yorgos Lanthimos] and Priscilla [2024, Sofia Coppola]. From a make-up point of view, I’m going to say The Hunger [1983] by Tony Scott, with David Bowie and Catherine Deneuve. Also John Carpenter’s The Thing [1982].

W*: After the success of The Substance, what is next for you project-wise?

POP: I’ve been so busy since we wrapped filming in November that I think I’m going to take a small break until next year. But I am curious to see what impact The Substance will have on film, going forward, from a cultural and audience perspective. Also from a personal perspective; will I be getting more calls to work on prosthetic make-up for body horror films? I don’t know. But I’m curious to find out.

The Substance (2024) by Coralie Fargeat is now available to stream on Mubi.

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Read our film review of The Substance by Billie Walker