10 Recent Movie Villains Who Became Instant Fan Favourites
6. Margaret Qualley as Sue - The Substance
The Substance is unique, to say the least, and possesses a shock factor that most films lack or struggle to exhibit coherently or convincingly.
It's a disturbing, horrifying and downright grotesque exploration of the monstrous beauty standards women are faced with in the entertainment industry.
The Substance is a film that could only work based on the chemistry shared between its two leads, Demi Moore's Elisabeth Sparkle and her substance-created alter ego, Sue, played by Margaret Qualley. Said chemistry is electric every time they share the screen.
The rules are simple: seven days for Elisabeth and seven days for Sue, sharing the same body (sort of, but not really). What could go wrong? As it turns out, just about everything. Qualley is undoubtedly one of the most in-demand actors working in Hollywood, and you can see why.
She could easily thrive in both heroic and villainous roles, and that's undeniably the best way to categorise her portrayal of Sue. She is, in essence, the physical personification of Elisabeth's biggest insecurities and worst qualities.
She's selfish and spoilt, and as Sue's appetite for attention grows, so does her resentment for Elisabeth, and in return, her previous endearing and charming nature mutates into entitlement and cruelty.
Although Dennis Quaid's Harvey may be the overarching villain of the tale, Sue's self-serving actions and motivations led her to fly too close to the sun, and her attempts to usurp Elisabeth ultimately lead to her inevitable downfall.