Demi Moore biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Actress, producer, director. Born Demetria Guynes on November 11, 1962, in Roswell, New Mexico. With her trademark husky voice and striking beauty, Demi Moore established herself as one of the leading actresses of the early 1990s. She had a challenging childhood. Her parents split up before she was born, and she was raised by her mother and stepfather, Virginia and Danny Guynes, both of whom drank heavily.

Moore had moved more than 30 times by the time she turned 14, eventually settling in Los Angeles. Moore later explained in Interview magazine that "By moving around a lot, I learned to assimilate into whatever new surroundings I had and to become very comfortable with people quickly. I think that was one of the strongest contributing factors to my becoming an actor."

Soap Star

Dropping out of high school at 16, Moore worked as a debt collector for a time and tried modeling. She also developed an interest in acting. In 1981, Moore had landed a role on the popular television soap opera General Hospital. She played journalist Jackie Templeton for two years. That same year, Moore made her film debut in the independent drama Choices.

During her stint on General Hospital, Moore found time for a few film projects. She appeared in the 3-D science fiction horror flick Parasite (1982) with her musician husband Freddie Moore, who she married the previous year. Moore also had a bit part in the soap opera spoof Young Doctors in Love (1982).

Breakout Role

After leaving her soap opera role, Moore struggled to build a career in film. She played Michael Caine's daughter in Blame it on Rio (1984), which attracted little attention from critics or movie-goers. Taking on a leading role, Moore played Jon Cryer's love interest in No Small Affair (1984), but she did not really capture the public's attention until her performance in St. Elmo's Fire (1985). This film told the story of a group of friends as they confront post-college life. The cast also included a number of other young stars on the rise, such as Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Emilio Estevez. Many of these performers were becoming equally famous for their off-screen antics and partying lifestyle, earning them the nickname "the Brat Pack" by the media.

In her personal life, Moore divorced her first husband in 1984. She started dating Emilio Estevez, and the two became engaged in 1985. The couple starred together in 1986's Wisdom, which Estevez also wrote and directed. That same year, Moore starred opposite Rob Lowe in About Last Night, a look at young singletons in Chicago. Critic Roger Ebert praised both of their performances, saying the film "gives them the best acting opportunities either one has ever had, and they make the most of them." He also singled out Moore, writing that she "is especially impressive. There isn't a romantic note she isn't required to play in this movie, and she plays them all flawlessly."

On the Silver Screen

Again playing the love interest, Moore co-starred with John Cusack in the popular comedy One Crazy Summer (1986). She was working steadily, but had yet to score a big, box-office hit. In 1987, she and Estevez broke up, and Moore later met actor Bruce Willis, who was then on the popular television show Moonlighting with Cybill Shepherd. The two began dating and got married in November of 1987 in Las Vegas. They welcomed their first child together, a daughter named Rumer, in 1988. She was named after the British writer Rumer Godden.

That same year, Moore returned to the big screen with The Seventh Sign, an apocalyptic thriller. She played a pregnant woman trying to stop the end of the world. Despite a few positive reviews for her performance in it, the film only earned about $16 million at the box office. Moore took on lighter fare with her next effort, 1989's We're No Angels, which starred Robert De Niro and Sean Penn. Despite its impressive cast, the film did not fare well with audiences.

Moore's biggest career breakthrough came in 1990 with the romantic drama Ghost. She played Molly, a young woman whose husband Sam (played by Patrick Swayze) was murdered. His spirit works with