Demi Moore reflects on her intense training forG. I. Jane. Moore played Jordan O’Neill in the 1997 Ridley Scott U.S. military film. In addition to Moore,G.I. Janefeatured a leading cast including Viggo Mortensen, Anne Bancroft, Jason Beghe, Daniel von Bargen, John Michael Higgins, Kevin Gage, and David Warshofsky.G.I. Janeremains one of the most notable roles inMoore’s careerto date.
In an interview withVariety, Moore discusses the intense training that went into her time asG.I. Jane.
According to theG.I. Janeactor, she was involved in a"two-week modified SEAL training" prior to filming. This was intense training, in which Moore was only called by her character’s name, and not her real one. The training team did “sneaky things to really bring the reality of what the experience was like.” One day, they made Moore late so she could be publicly shamed. Check out the full quote from Moore below:
We did a two-week modified SEAL training, and it was me and 40 guys. And it was hardcore. They never called me by my real name, only by my character name. They did a lot of sneaky things to really bring the reality of what the experience was. I mean, they set me up to be a little late, then called me up in front of everybody, but that’s why you do it.
Why G.I. Jane Was Such An Important Role In Moore’s Career
G.I. Jane Was Different From The Actor’s Other Roles
Prior toG.I. Jane, Moore was most known for playing romantic interests as well as characters who were highly sexualized. Some of Moore’s key roles includedDiana Murphy inIndecent Proposal, Marina Lemke inThe Butcher’s Wife,and Erin Grant inStriptease. Combined with her experience as a model, Moore’s femininity and attractiveness were a highly-marketed part of her Hollywood persona, bleeding into her acting roles throughout the ’90s.
Will G.I. Jane 2 Ever Happen?
The first G.I. Jane came out in 1997 - but is there hope for G.I. Jane 2 to actually happen over 20 years after the original movie’s release?
G.I. Janecompletely changed this for Moore. In the 1997 film, Moore was portrayed not as a source of conventional, hyper-feminized beauty, but as a strong, fighting woman. Her head was shaved forG.I. Jane, and she was given very little makeup. The training she went through paid off in the movie with Moore reflecting “that’s why you do it”. This gave audiences a chance to see Moore in an entirely different light. WhileG.I. Janeis unlike any other role in Moore’s career, its difference is what makes it one of her standout performances.
One of Moore’s next roles was in 2003’sCharlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. This role combined herG.I. Janeexperience with her earlier roles, as it saw Moore playing both an action star and an alluring, seductive woman. In her upcoming work, Moore will take on one of her more interesting roles by leading the upcomingbody horror filmThe Substance. InThe Substance, Moore will play an aging actress who takes a black market drug that will make her appear younger, offering a sort of meta critique of the high beauty standard world in which Moore was once immersed.
G.I. Jane
Cast
G.I. Jane follows the grueling experience of Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil, played by Demi Moore, the first woman to undergo training in the U.S. Navy SEAL program. Facing extreme physical and mental challenges, the film highlights her fight against institutional sexism and personal limits.
