As the daughter of iconic actress Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley, Margaret Qualley has the perfect blend of good looks and undeniable talent. With a movie-star face and striking assets, it’s no surprise that she’s carved her own space in Hollywood.
In her 2024 film The Substance, she quips that her butt got more screen time than her face, proving she’s not just about beauty but also a sense of humor. In a cover interview with i-D magazine on Thursday, April 17, Margaret Qualley opened up about her role and how genes from both her famous parents shaped her career.
Whether it’s her acting or her effortless charm, she’s undeniably making a name for herself in the entertainment world.
Quick Over View
| Topic | Key Points |
|---|---|
| Margaret Qualley’s Background | Daughter of Andie MacDowell and Paul Qualley, with a blend of good looks and talent in Hollywood. |
| Role in The Substance | Portrays Sue, a character exploring feminine rage, beauty, and the obsession with perfection. |
| Physical Transformation | Prepared physically for the role with trainer and yoga to achieve a symmetrical body, symbolizing her transformation. |
| Humor and Depth in The Substance | Joked about her butt getting more screen time than her face, reflecting humor in an otherwise emotional role. |
| Ballet and Acting Journey | Trained in ballet, then moved to modeling, and transitioned into acting, carrying over the discipline of perfection from ballet. |
| Full-Circle Moment | Returned to dance at the 2025 Academy Awards, reflecting on her journey from a 16-year-old model to a more peaceful and grounded woman. |
| Cultural and Emotional Themes in the Film | Satire of unattainable beauty norms, with elements of body horror and self-punishment, symbolizing inner struggles and rebirth. |
Margaret Qualley: From Daughter of Icons to Star in The Substance
As the daughter of Paul Qualley and actress Andie MacDowell, Margaret Qualley inherited good looks and an undeniable talent for acting. In her 2024 film The Substance, she takes on the role of Sue, exploring themes of feminine rage, beauty, and the obsession with perfection.
In a cover interview with i-D magazine on April 17, she joked that her butt got more screen time than her face, adding a touch of humor to a deeply emotional role. The film delves into the self-torment women face when striving to achieve an unattainable ideal of beauty, with a story that blends camp, body horror, and the ugliness of our cultural obsession.
Margaret’s portrayal of Sue offers a transformation, showing a younger, more “beautiful” version of herself as she navigates the complexities of self-worth and external pressure.
Margaret Qualley’s Physical Transformation in The Substance
In her role as Sue in The Substance, Margaret Qualley tackles the challenges of transforming physically for the character. At 30, she explained that her preparation included working with a trainer and practicing yoga to achieve a symmetrical body.
Her dedication paid off as she described the physical transformation as feeling almost like being a newborn. Sue, portrayed by Margaret, represents a sharp satire of unattainable beauty norms, and the film’s depiction of overt eroticism only added depth to the character.
The role demands much of Margaret, as she embodies the dysphoria and envy that come with the destructive cycle of self-punishment that Sue endures. The bi-weekly alternation between the two characters, as Sue’s transformation takes place, emphasizes the inner turmoil and conflict, much like the act of childbirth, a metaphor for her rebirth and struggle.
Margaret Qualley: Ballet to Acting and the 2025 Oscars
At 28, Margaret Qualley reflects on her journey, from training as a professional ballerina to transitioning into modeling and then acting. Her role in The Substance feels like her Saturn return, where she confronts everything she’s learned about perfection and control, often in a way that challenges the larger story she grew up with.
Margaret has been trained in the art of perfection, something ballet demanded of her, and it’s something she carries into her performances today. A full-circle moment came when she returned to dance for a choreographed number at the 2025 Academy Awards in March.
She remembers driving three hours to Atlanta to take Mandy Moore’s class, hoping for a chance to perform on stage. Now, she finds herself back there, much like the model she was at 16, yet wiser and more at peace with her role in the world. The stage is no longer about getting attention—it’s about embracing who she truly is.
Read More: Peggy Cappy Birthdate Revealed: Shocking Facts You’ll Love
