Demi Moore's Golden Globes speech contained a powerful message for all women.

Demi Moore won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, for her performance in the body-horror film The Substance.

The role, which saw her portray youth and beauty-obsessed aerobics star, Elisabeth Sparkle, was widely praised by film critics and viewers alike. And now, she's been awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for her stirring performance.

While fans of Moore's have known and loved her for more than four decades, it turns out this is the first time she has been awarded by an organisation such as the HFPA.

"Oh, wow," the actress told the audience as she accepted her award. "I really wasn't expecting that… I'm just in shock right now. 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.

"30 years ago, I had a producer tell me that I was a popcorn actress and at that time, I made that mean that this wasn't something that I was allowed to have: that I could do movies that were successful, that made a lot of money, but that I couldn't be acknowledged. And I bought in and I believed that."

Not sure what a popcorn actress is? It's a term used for a star who appears in films that might be entertaining big box-office successes, but do not deliver high-quality, awards-worthy performances. Someone who can get bums on seats in movie theatres, but wouldn't be considered a real 'talent' in the industry. Basically, it's quite an offensive thing to say to someone in Hollywood. And at the time it was said to Moore, she would have been considered an 'over-the-hill' leading lady heading into her mid-30s.

"That corroded me over time to the point where I thought a few years ago that maybe this was it, maybe I was complete, maybe I would, I've done what I was supposed to do… And as I was at kind of a low point, I had this magical bold, courageous, out of the box absolutely bonkers script come across my desk called The Substance and the universe told me that you're not done, and I am so grateful to Corley for trusting me to step in and play this woman."

Demi Moore accepts her 'Best Actress' Award at the Golden Globes. Image: Getty.

Moore also thanked her co-star Margaret Qualley, who played 'Sue' in The Substance.

"For Margaret, for being the other half of me that I couldn't have done without, for looking out for me, to the people who've been with me for over 30 years, Kevin Uvane, Jason Weinberg, everybody at CAA untitled lead, all of the people who stood by me, especially the people who've believed in me when I haven't believed in myself," she continued in her speech.

"And I'll just leave you with one thing that I think this movie is imparting in those moments when we don't think we're smart enough or pretty enough or skinny enough or successful enough, or basically just not enough. I had a woman say to me, just know, you will never be enough, but you can know the value of your worth if you just put down the measuring stick."

Listen to The Spill's recap of the Golden Globes red carpet. Story continues below.

"And so today I celebrate this as a marker of my wholeness and of the love that is driving me and for the gift of doing something I love and being reminded that I do belong. Thank you so much."

The poignant moment was met with loud cheers from her Hollywood peers. A number of famous women wiped away tears, with Sarah Paulson noticeably crying as she applauded Moore.

"Good luck to the next person (making a speech)," Kerry Washington joked following the emotional moment. Our sentiments exactly!

Demi's message was celebrated by women in the audience, and at home, who were all too aware of what it's like to be made to feel as though there are limits to what they can achieve.

In Hollywood, and in the real world out here for the rest of us, there is this pervasive idea that women's professional lives come with an expiration date. Hell, our personal lives too. But we don't need to have every milestone ticked off in the early days of our lives — the best could always be coming around the corner.

Demi's speech is a poignant reminder that there is no such thing as 'too late' in our lives to succeed. Our value does not diminish with time.

Demi Moore gave a rousing speech at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards. Image: Getty.

Feature Image: Getty.