Demi Moore defends her movieG.I. Jane. Directed byAlien’s Ridley Scott,G.I. Janeis a 1997 movie that sees Moore playing a United States Navy topographical analyst who joins the US Special Navy Warfare group and faces issues with building her reputation in a career that is dominated by men. In addition to Moore,G.I. Janefeatures a leading cast including Viggo Mortensen, Anne Bancroft, Jason Beghe, Daniel von Bargen, John Michael Higgins, Kevin Gage, and David Warshofksy.
In an interview withVanity Fair, Moore speaks up to defendG.I. Jane. According to the actor, she feels likeG.I. Janewas “killed months before anybody had ever even seen it.” She thinks that there are several factors that went into this, including Moore becoming the highest-paid female actor in Hollywood and her recent controversial role inStriptease. She said that the media conversation became a question of “well does she really deserve it?” Speaking about the film itself, Moore argues that it was “really thoughtful” and “really holds up.” Check out the full quote from Moore below:
It was already kind of killed months before anybody had ever even seen it. I don’t know all the reasons, but maybe it was a combination of becoming the highest paid actress. Which was an amazing thing, not just for me but for all women. It coming off of Striptease. It seemed as if I had betrayed women for Striptease and I was betraying men with G.I. Jane. And I think those two thing really became almost like the media drive to go ‘well does she really deserve it?’ And maybe it just being ahead of its time. And in some ways, I feel like I was targeted and shamed. It kind of blurred it from really being seen just for what it was. They didn’t allow it to kind of stand on its own.
I think the film really holds up. I hear it a lot from people. I think that Ridley made a really thoughtful, intelligent film, that really tackled the subject matter.
What Moore’s Thoughts Say About G.I. Jane
G.I. Jane Was A Career Shift For Moore
While Moore does not mention it directly, part of what she is referencing by saying the film was “killed months before anybody had ever even seen it” is the fact thatG.I. Janedid not perform as well as its team would have hoped at the box office. The film brought in a gross of $48.1 million.G.I. Janewas made on an estimated budget of $50 million.
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The first G.I. Jane came out in 1997 - but is there hope for G.I. Jane 2 to actually happen over 20 years after the original movie’s release?
Moore’s quote also, however, allows for a reconsideration ofG.I. Jane. Not only wasMoore the highest-paid female actor at the time of the movie’s release, but her modeling work for magazine covers as well as her recent role inStripteasehad seen Moore become a sex symbol in popular culture. Seeing her in intense military training and less conventionally feminine inG.I. Janewas a huge shift from howMoore’s careerhad been known previously. Still, in Moore’s perception, some people were overreactive to that shift.
How The G.I. Jane Reactions Relate To Moore’s Overall Career Trajectory
Moore’s Role In The Substance Mirrors Her G.I. Jane Experience
After recently seeing Moore in thewell-reviewed 2024 horror filmThe Substance, I find that her thoughts onG.I. Janeare particularly salient.The Substancesees more play a character who, once she reaches an extreme level of fame, becomes highly scrutinized and even disliked by the public. So too is the perception that Moore reported receiving in response toG.I. Jane. As a result, I’m fascinated to see how Moore’s real life story mirrors her character’s experience inThe Substance, making the growth in her career even more fascinating.
G.I. Jane
Cast
G.I. Jane follows the grueling experience of Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil, played by Demi Moore, the first woman to undergo training in the U.S. Navy SEAL program. Facing extreme physical and mental challenges, the film highlights her fight against institutional sexism and personal limits.
