Sue

Sue is the main antagonist of the 2024 body-horror film The Substance.

In her characterisation, she is the younger and more beautiful version of the solidly middle-aged actress Elisabeth Sparkle. It was then she served as her archenemy as the more "perfect" version soon resolved to eliminating Elisabeth at all costs. Being the "perfect" version of Elisabeth, Sue is confident, charismatic, and energetic. She lands the fitness job, and the town becomes obsessed with her. And, of course, things go downhill as Sue gets a taste for the adulation, the success and the youthfulness.

However, as she sticks around for longer than her seven days, Sue quickly becomes entitled, self-absorbed, and arrogant. Having her seven days in the sun, her narcissism draws her to taking over the TV show formerly hosted by her older self. She wants people to tell her how beautiful she is -- all that drives her is having herself be ogled at, being on TV, being told how beautiful she is, nothing more -- just the vapid life that she already lived as Elisabeth. She's making the same choices that led her to living alone, without friends or family, or community. All that matters is the adulation of her beauty which ultimately led to her downfall and demise upon being mutated and being blown to bits. Sue's genetic template; Elisabeth Sparkle, was one of the most desired and successful actresses of Hollywood back in her younger years. However, age was rapidly diminishing her and status, so she's clearly had a long career she's proud of. But she's forced to brutally confront her approach to its inevitable end when she overhears her sleazy executive producer, Harvey, scheming to replace her with younger and "better" version of her. Despite overcoming Elisabeth in the end and seemingly earning her place as host of the New Years Eve program, Sue's body begins to decay due to the termination fluid injected beforehand.