Demi Moore decries ‘self-censorship’ at Cannes 2026, urges tolerance for political opinions

CANNES, FRANCE: Demi Moore spoke up about the importance of expressing freely on politics as she attended a press conference ahead of the Cannes Film Festival's opening ceremony on Tuesday, May 12.

The 63-year-old actress is serving as one of the jury members at this year’s film festival in France — running from May 12 to May 23.

Demi Moore talks about freedom of expression

During the conference, Moore was asked if “speaking freely” about politics could negatively impact the films at the festival. “I would hope not,” ‘The Substance’ actress replied.

She continued, “I think part of art is about expression, so if we start censoring ourselves then I think we shut down the very core of our creativity which is I think where we can discover truth and answers.”

Cannes jury shares her take on 'politics and art' 

Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, who’s chairing the 79th film festival, also shared his views on politics in cinema.

He explained, “I don’t think politics and art should be divided. I think it’s a strange concept to think they’re in conflict with each other. Just because a work of art has a political statement, it should not be considered an enemy of art.”

“At the same time, just because a film is not making a political statement, that film should not be ignored,” the 62-year-old filmmaker added, before stating that the most “brilliant political statement” can easily fall into “propaganda” if it’s “not expressed artfully enough.”

Demi Moore asserts on working with AI instead of fighting it

Later during the conference, Moore was also questioned about the entrance of AI in filmmaking.

The Oscar-nominated star appeared to be in favor of the new technology as she said, “I think the reality is that to resist, I always feel that against-ness breeds against-ness. AI is here.”

“And so to fight it is to fight something that is a battle that we will lose. So to find ways in which we can work with it I think is a more valuable path to take,” she added, which led to an uproar on social media.

Moore, however, also noted that AI cannot replace the true art.

“The truth is there really isn’t anything to fear because what it can never replace is what true art comes from, which is not the physical, it comes from the soul. It comes from the spirit of each and every one of us sitting here, to each and every one of us who creates every day. And that they can never recreate through something that is technical,” she added.