Demi Moore joins Tom Cruise, Eddie Murphy, and these other 1980s ‘popcorn stars’ denied at the Oscars
Is there a kernel of truth to the notion that "popcorn stars" don't win Oscars? It certainly felt that way to fans hoping to see Demi Moore pull off a Best Actress victory at the 2025 Oscars. Her daring performance as Elisabeth Sparkle in The Substance had earned her a Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and SAG Award, putting her in frontrunner position as she arrived at the 97th Academy Awards on March 2. But suddenly, those hopes were dashed when Emma Stone read out the winner: Mikey Madison in Anora.
It wasn't unfamiliar to see one of the biggest box-office draws from decades past lose the big one. Perhaps the Academy couldn't see past what Moore had once been told she was — a popcorn actress. She addressed the demeaning title in her Golden Globes acceptance speech nearly two months prior, stating that a producer called her a “popcorn actress” 30 years ago, which she took to mean “that I could do movies that were successful and made a lot of money, but that I couldn’t be acknowledged, and I bought in and I believed that.”
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Moore rose to stardom as part of the 1980s crop of up-and-coming actors known as the Brat Pack. She was cast in such zeitgeist films as St. Elmo's Fire (1985) and About Last Night (1986) before landing the lead in 1990's Ghost opposite Patrick Swayze and Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg. From there, she became one of the highest-paid actresses on Hollywood for films like Indecent Proposal (1993), Disclosure (1994), Striptease (1996), and G.I. Jane (1997). But when the box-office receipts didn't come in like they used to, Moore's star began to fade. She was seriously considering giving up acting, but that’s when Coralie Fargeat’s “bonkers” script for The Substance made its way to her.
There was something relatable about Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading celebrity who takes a black-market drug — a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself. Despite the horror-genre bias among Hollywood's elite, Moore was suddenly back on top and earning accolades like she'd never seen in her 45-year career. But she was ultimately denied the Oscar, joining this list of other unlucky 1980s "popcorn stars" who were never able to secure that golden statuette.
Tom Cruise
Photo credit: Margaret Norton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
One of the biggest movie stars of all time, Tom Cruise slid into stardom wearing nothing but a collared shirt and tighty-whities in 1983's Risky Business. From there he blew up the box office in everything from thrillers like A Few Good Men (1992) and The Firm (1993) to action flicks including the Mission: Impossible franchise. Throughout his illustrious career, Cruise won three Golden Globes for Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Jerry Maguire (1996), and Magnolia (1999). All three victories translated into Oscar bids, which he lost to Daniel Day-Lewis (My Left Foot), Geoffrey Rush (Shine) and Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules), respectively.
Eddie Murphy
Photo credit: SGranitz/WireImage
Funnymen are rarely rewarded by the Academy, which is why fans of Eddie Murphy were thrilled to see him take home a Golden Globe and SAG Award for the musical Dreamgirls (2006). After getting his start on Saturday Night Live, Murphy became a bona fide movie star with hits like 48 Hrs. (1982), Beverly Hills Cop (1984), Coming to America (1988), and The Nutty Professor (1996). Despite heading into the 2007 Oscars as the frontrunner for Best Supporting Actor, he lost to veteran Alan Arkin in Little Miss Sunshine.
Sylvester Stallone
Photo credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Sylvester Stallone shot to A-list status in the Best Picture winner from 1976, Rocky. He was nominated for Best Actor that year, losing to Peter Finch (Network), and Best Original Screenplay, which also lost to Network. Despite writing and starring in the beloved drama about a boxing hero, he didn't produce the film so he didn't take home any hardware when it won the night's biggest prize. Rather than continue his Oscar-caliber performances, Stallone became a box-office beast throughout the 1980s by starring in less-appreciated Rocky sequels and the massively successful Rambo franchise. Suddenly, Stallone was receiving more Razzie recognition than Oscar clout, which is why his Best Supporting Actor nomination for reprising his role as Rocky in Creed (2016) had fans hoping he'd finally take home the gold. Ultimately, it wasn't meant to be and he wound up losing to Mark Rylance in Bridge of Spies.
Mickey Rourke
Photo credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage
Mickey Rourke first gained widespread attention for his small-but-mighty role as arsonist Teddy Lewis in Body Heat (1981). He went on to establish himself as an acclaimed leading man in dramas like Rumble Fish (1983), Year of the Dragon (1985), and 9 1/2 Weeks (1986). After a series of box-office duds, Rourke made a critically acclaimed comeback in The Wrestler in 2009, earning his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Despite taking home a Golden Globe and BAFTA, he lost the Academy Award to Sean Penn in Milk.
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