In 1990, Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze delighted everyone with the supernatural romantic drama Ghost, a film that has become one of Moore’s most successful projects, and the highest-grossing movie of that year, surpassing titles like Home Alone and Pretty Woman. Demi Moore had already snagged several popular roles before the iconic Molly Jensen, but as Ghost turned her into a household name, many people wonder how old Moore was in the movie.
Demi Moore’s career started in the early ’80s, and her breakthrough role came with Joel Schumacher’s 1985 drama St. Elmo’s Fire. The movie was critically panned, but it became a box office success, helping Moore receive widespread recognition. In her subsequent choice of early roles, she was often listed as a member of the Brat Pack, something she didn’t always celebrate.
Ghost was a success thanks to the chemistry between Moore and Swayze, as their love scene that started in front of the potter’s wheel became one of the most iconic romantic moments of all time. The film received five Academy Award nominations, taking home two of them, for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Whoopi Goldberg. Moore and Swayze also received nominations for their roles at the Golden Globes.
What was Demi Moore’s age in Ghost?
Demi Moore was born on Nov. 11, 1962, in Roswell, New Mexico, and she was 27 years old when Ghost premiered on Jul. 13, 1990. The filming for the movie started one year prior, when Moore was 26 years old. In comparison, Patrick Swayze, who was born on Aug. 18, 1952, in Houston, Texas, was almost 37 years old when filming started, and almost 38 when the supernatural drama premiered.
Other actors were considered for their roles. Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, Michael J. Fox, Paul Hogan, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Kline, Alec Baldwin, and Tom Cruise were contenders for the role of Sam Wheat, beside Swayze. Willis and Fox turned down the role, and later admitted they regretted it. As for the role of Molly Jensen, other popular actresses were in the running, including Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts, and Nicole Kidman. Ghost turned Demi Moore into the highest-paid actress in Hollywood at that time, which a trend which thanks to roles in Striptease, Indecent Proposal, and G.I. Jane.
Speaking to Variety, Moore weighed in about the endurance of the film, over three decades later, admitting that, “There’s something comforting about the movie. It’s about the things we might perceive as lost never really leaving us.”
Over the years, there have been conversations to remake Ghost, most recently, with Channing Tatum as the male lead. However, Moore explained that, “There are some films better left alone, but it depends on what the take is. The success of Ghost is really about alchemy,” explaining that each member of the cast, including Swayze, Goldberg, and Tony Goldwyn, brought something unique to the mix. However, she wouldn’t turn down the opportunity of reprising her role, explaining that, “I’d have to see what they come up with.” Demi Moore is now 61 years old, and is enjoying one of the best periods of her career, culminating with the critically acclaimed The Substance, a film about what it’s like to age in Hollywood.