Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Demi Moore
How Demi Moore built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Demi Moore is a prominent American actress who rose to fame in the 1980s, eventually becoming the highest-paid actress in the world by 1995. Her notable accolades include a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, along with nominations for prestigious awards like an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Recognized for her influence, she was featured in Time's 100 most influential people list in 2025, and is set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2026.
1980: Started appearing on magazine covers
Since 1980, Demi Moore has consistently appeared on magazine covers every year.
August 1991: Vanity Fair cover
In August 1991, Demi Moore appeared nude on the cover of Vanity Fair while seven months pregnant with her second child, Scout LaRue Willis. Shot by Annie Leibovitz, the cover generated significant media attention and divided opinions.
August 1992: Vanity Fair cover
In August 1992, Demi Moore appeared nude on the cover of Vanity Fair, modeling for body painting artist Joanne Gair in Demi's Birthday Suit.
1993: Maiti Nepal's establishment
Since 1993, Maiti Nepal, the organization Demi Moore worked with, has rescued more than 12,000 stolen Nepalese children from sex trafficking.
1995: Highest-paid actress
In 1995, Demi Moore became the highest-paid actress in the world after receiving $12.5 million for her role in Striptease. This caused other actresses' asking prices to increase.
1995: Starring in The Scarlet Letter and Now and Then
In 1995, Demi Moore starred in "The Scarlet Letter", which was met with harsh disapproval. She also starred in "Now and Then", which found box office success despite negative reviews.
1996: Producing and starring in HBO's If These Walls Could Talk
In 1996, Demi Moore produced and starred in HBO's "If These Walls Could Talk", which became HBO's highest-rated original film. She received Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on the film. She also provided voice work for "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America".
1996: Starring in Striptease and The Juror
In 1996, Demi Moore starred in "Striptease", becoming the highest-paid actress at the time, and in "The Juror". Both films were critically panned, leading to Moore receiving the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for both movies.
1997: Starring in G.I. Jane
In 1997, Demi Moore starred in "G.I. Jane", for which she shaved her head and underwent military training. The film garnered mixed reviews, and she received another Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress. In the same year, she also appeared in "Deconstructing Harry" and "Destination Anywhere".
1999: Guest editor for Marie Claire and Forbes ranking
In 1999, Demi Moore was a guest editor for the November issue of Marie Claire and was ranked eighth on Forbes' list of Top 20 Actresses.
2000: Starring in Passion of Mind
In 2000, Demi Moore returned to the screen after a hiatus, starring in "Passion of Mind". The film received mixed reviews and failed to find an audience.
2001: Turning down film offers
In 2001, Demi Moore continued her career hiatus and turned down film offers, with producer Irwin Winkler noting that she wasn't interested in a commercial picture he offered her.
2003: Starring in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle
In 2003, Demi Moore returned to the screen as a villain in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle". The film was a commercial success, but Moore found herself intimidated by the media response.
2006: Starring in Half Light and Bobby
In 2006, Demi Moore starred in "Half Light" and "Bobby". As a member of the ensemble cast of "Bobby", she was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast in a Motion Picture and won the Hollywood Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast.
2007: Starring in Flawless and Mr. Brooks
In 2007, Demi Moore starred in the British heist drama "Flawless" and the psychological thriller "Mr. Brooks".
2008: Directorial Debut with Streak
In 2008, Demi Moore made her directorial debut with the coming-of-age short film "Streak", which starred her daughter Rumer and screened at the Nashville Film Festival.
2009: Launch of the Demi and Ashton Foundation
In 2009, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher launched the Demi and Ashton Foundation (DNA) to fight child sexual slavery.
2009: Acting in Happy Tears, The Joneses, and 24 Hour Plays on Broadway
In 2009, Demi Moore starred in the dramedy "Happy Tears", the comedy "The Joneses", and acted in the 9th edition of 24 Hour Plays on Broadway at the American Airlines Theatre.
August 2010: Use of Twitter for awareness
In August 2010, Harper's Bazaar reported that Demi Moore uses Twitter to raise awareness of sexual trafficking and slavery.
2010: Pepsi Refresh Celebrity Challenge win
In 2010, Demi Moore defeated Kevin Bacon to win $250,000 in the Pepsi Refresh Celebrity Challenge, supporting GEMS: Girls Educational & Mentoring Services.
2010: Starring in Bunraku
In 2010, Demi Moore starred as a courtesan and femme fatale in the film "Bunraku".
2011: Starring in Another Happy Day
In 2011, Demi Moore played a "brash and overtly sexual second wife" in the black comedy "Another Happy Day".
2011: Starring in Margin Call and Directing a segment of Five
In 2011, Demi Moore starred in "Margin Call", which was favorably received. She was also nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award for her work as a director in a segment of the Lifetime anthology film "Five".
November 2012: Foundation Renamed
In November 2012, the Demi and Ashton Foundation (DNA) announced it was renaming as Thorn: Digital Defenders of Children.
2012: Starring in LOL
In 2012, Demi Moore played mothers in the coming-of-age films "LOL".
2013: Starring in Very Good Girls
In 2013, Demi Moore starred in the movie "Very Good Girls"
2015: Starring in Forsaken
In 2015, Demi Moore played an old flame of a quick-draw killer in the Western drama "Forsaken".
2016: Starring in Wild Oats
In 2016, Demi Moore played the daughter of a retired high school teacher in the road comedy "Wild Oats".
2017: Recurring role on Empire and starring in Rough Night
In 2017, Demi Moore had a recurring role on "Empire" and starred in the comedy "Rough Night".
2017: Starring in Blind
In 2017, Demi Moore played the neglected wife of an indicted businessman in the drama "Blind".
2017: Thorn assisted law enforcement
In 2017, Thorn assisted law enforcement in identifying 5,894 child sex trafficking victims and rescuing 103 children.
2018: Starring in Love Sonia
In 2018, Demi Moore played a social worker in the Hindi-language drama "Love Sonia".
2018: Visionary Woman Award
In 2018, Demi Moore was honored with the inaugural Visionary Woman Award by Visionary Women for her work to combat human trafficking.
September 2019: Publication of Memoir Inside Out
In September 2019, Demi Moore's memoir, "Inside Out", was published by HarperCollins and reached number one on The New York Times' best-sellers list.
October 2019: Harper's Bazaar cover
In October 2019, Demi Moore posed nude on the cover of Harper's Bazaar.
2019: Starring in Corporate Animals
In 2019, Demi Moore played an unethical CEO in the black comedy "Corporate Animals".
2020: Starring in Songbird, Brave New World, Savage x Fenty Vol. 2, and Dirty Diana
In 2020, Demi Moore played a protective matriarch in the thriller "Songbird", recurred in "Brave New World", modeled at Rihanna's Savage x Fenty Vol. 2 fashion show, and produced/starred in the podcast "Dirty Diana".
2022: Starring in Please Baby Please and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
In 2022, Demi Moore played an eccentric neighbor in "Please Baby Please" and had a cameo in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent".
2022: Thorn found child sexual abuse material files
In 2022, Thorn found 824,466 child sexual abuse material files and identified 1,895 victims of child sexual abuse.
2024: Magazine cover appearances
As of 2024, Demi Moore has appeared on magazine covers every year since 1980.
2024: Starring in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans and Landman
In 2024, Demi Moore played Ann Woodward in "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" and began starring in "Landman".
2024: Starring in The Substance
In 2024, Demi Moore starred in the body horror film "The Substance", which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Moore won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the BAFTA Award for Best Actress.
May 9, 2025: Announced to star in Strange Arrivals
On May 9, 2025, it was announced that Demi Moore would star alongside Colman Domingo in the film "Strange Arrivals".
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