Right, what’s a popcorn actress? Savage label slapped on Demi Moore by a Hollywood producer

After decades in the world of movies and TV, “popcorn actress” Demi Moore finally got her time in the spotlight at Sunday night’s Golden Globes.

She walked away with the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture for her role as Elisabeth Sparkle in last year’s The Substance, a body horror flick that grapples with themes of ageing and beauty. In what soon became a Golden Globes viral moment, she then issued an empowered acceptance speech.

“Oh wow. I really wasn’t expecting that. I’m just in shock right now,” she said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, like over 45 years, and this is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor. And I’m just so humbled and so grateful. Thirty years ago, I had a producer tell me that I was a ‘popcorn actress’ and, at that time, I made that mean that this [award] wasn’t something that I was allowed to have.”

Though the moment was widely celebrated on Twitter, particularly when she defiantly said “I do belong”, I was left with one question burning a hole in my brain: What the hell is a popcorn actress and why is it making me hungry?

Is Demi Moore a popcorn actress? Clearly not

To understand why Demi Moore being called a popcorn actress is so savage, we must first understand that it comes from the snobby term popcorn movie, which means “a film that is perceived as entertaining but lacking in depth or artistic merit.”

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According to IMDb, popular popcorn movies include The Dark Knight Rises, Toy Story, Godzilla, Alien, Ghostbusters, 28 Weeks Later, and even Netflix’s new film Carry-On. Essentially, the term is used to uplift one movie over another – it’s something you could see the worst movie bro, or Quentin Tarantino, saying.

Therefore, a popcorn actress is someone who typically plays quite shallow roles without substance (pardon the pun) to them. Looking back at Demi Moore’s old roles, which include flicks like Ghost, Charlie’s Angels, The Scarlet Letter, and Rough Night, I could see why she might be branded a popcorn actress.

COULD A POPCORN ACTRESS DO THIS?!?!? pic.twitter.com/oQM9NWwyrl

— Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) January 6, 2025

However, it’s a bulls**t term used by idiots who can’t see the potential for depth. Sure, a film like Charlie’s Angels is popcorn at its best, but to claim it lacks “artistic merit” or depth is ludicrous.

Keep doing you Demi Moore, we love you for it.

Featured image credit: Golden Globes