Demi Moore recently shared a story about filming A Few Good Men while she was nearly eight months pregnant. At a public event, she revealed that her co-star, Tom Cruise, seemed embarrassed and uncomfortable during their early rehearsals. Moore reflected on how this experience highlighted the pressures she faced as one of the few leading actresses in Hollywood at that time trying to balance motherhood with a major career.
Moore’s Memory of the Awkward Rehearsal
Demi Moore spoke about the incident at the New Yorker Festival on October 25, 2025. She explained that one of her first pre-production meetings for the 1992 legal drama involved reading lines with Tom Cruise and director Rob Reiner. At that time, she was almost eight months pregnant with her daughter, Scout.
Moore recalled that while she felt perfectly fine, she could sense that Cruise did not share her comfort level. “I think Tom was quite embarrassed,” she told the audience. “I actually felt OK about it. I was moving around, though, right? But I could tell he felt that it was a bit awkward.”
The Pressure to Have It All in the 1990s
Moore believes that Cruise’s reaction was a sign of the times. In the early 1990s, it was uncommon for top actresses to have children while actively maintaining their film careers. Many women in Hollywood felt forced to choose between being a mother and having a job.
“It’s one of the many things, for me, that I just felt didn’t make sense,” Moore said of that choice. “And so I challenged that to say, you know, ‘Why not? Why can’t you have both?’”
This personal challenge, however, came with immense self-imposed pressure. Moore said she felt a strong need to prove that it was possible to succeed in both areas. She admitted that she looks back on that period and wonders, “What the f*** was I thinking?”
An Intense Fitness Regimen
The pressure Moore felt was especially clear in her approach to getting in shape for her role as Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway, a Navy lawyer. Even before her daughter was born, Moore began working out to fit into a military uniform.
“I was going to be in a military uniform, and probably overly anticipated and started working out and trying to get in shape even before she was born,” Moore explained.
Her fitness routine remained intense right up until she gave birth. She shared a remarkable story about her final days of pregnancy. “I did a two-and-a-half-hour hike the day my water broke. I did a 24-mile bike ride, and then was dancing at a reggae club — hence why she came two-and-a-half weeks early.”
A Changed Hollywood for Mothers
Moore’s experience on A Few Good Men required her to juggle new motherhood with a demanding filming schedule almost immediately. She remembered breastfeeding her newborn between blocking and rehearsing scenes.
She contrasted her experience with the environment in Hollywood today, noting that the industry is now more supportive of actresses who are mothers. She expressed pride that younger actresses today may not feel the same pressure to prove themselves that she did decades ago.
Also Read: Demi Moore Shares Gratitude After Oscars 2025 Loss to Mikey Madison in a Remarkable Awards Season
