‘It’s the Devil’: Substantive Director Discusses Long Casting Process for That Creepy, Deep Voice in Body Horror Film

Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley received major acclaim for their respective performances in the exceptional a new horror movie Substance (all of which they absolutely deserve), but one star of the film doesn’t get the attention it deserves. You’ll never see him on screen, but actor Yann Bean is the voice that essentially represents the titular procedure, and it’s phenomenal casting in the perfect balance of seductive and ominous. It’s an important aspect of the work, and one that writer/director Coralie Fargit notes has had a huge impact.

When I spoke to the director last month in advance SubstanceWith the release in theaters, my first question was about the search voice substance She explained that it was not easy to find the right actor for the role, but the casting process found Yann Bean, which took the film to a new level. Fargit said,

I knew that this voice must be like the voice of the devil, and at the same time so sweet, so seductive, and so serious. So it was a long casting process and I was lucky enough to find an actor, an American actor who lived in Paris, who did the voice for us. And it was such a perfect match. When we listened to his voice and incorporated it into the edit, it immediately changed the feel of the scene.

A prominent place is occupied by Trailers SubstanceYann Bean is the sole representative of those who produce the Substance in the film and gives it to Demi Moore/Sue Margaret Quoley’s Elizabeth Sparkle. He is the voice in advancing the procedure and is on the other end of the phone when new orders are placed and complaints are filed. The voice does not express free will or express will, but it does provide the characters with the tools of their own destruction simply preaching that they “respect balance” among themselves.

Coralie Fargit explained that she personally voiced Substance during production, but she really came into her own when the film found Yann Bean. She continued,

During the filming, we worked on a temporary recording, with only me voicing. And this finally gave Substance its identity, which resembles something mysterious, powerful, seductive and dangerous at the same time. It is, in fact, the devil.

After last summer’s radical success at the Cannes Film Festival (winning the coveted prize for Best Screenplay) and to widespread critical acclaim (I gave it five stars in my CinemaBlend review), Substance is set to arrive for home viewing just in time for Halloween. Extreme body horror movie to be broadcast Mubi starting October 31, and since it’s the best movie of 2024, it’s a must-see.