In her over 40-year-long career, Demi Moore has starred in numerous successful and critically acclaimed films, includingG.I. Jane and A Few Good Men. Most recently, she's garnered much-deserved praise for her role in The Substance. While she’s known for her excellent film work, Moore has also dabbled in TV, starring in an episode of Will & Graceand most recently in the Taylor Sheridan series Landman. However, her recurring presence in the hit Fox series Empireas Nurse Claudia is still her most dynamic and complex TV role to date, showcasing Moore's talents and versatility as she goes toe-to-toe with the powerful Lyon family.
Who Does Demi Moore Play in 'Empire'?
Audiences are introduced to Nurse Claudia in the final moments of the Season 3 finale, "Toil & Trouble, Part 2." After a car bomb leaves Lucious (Terrence Howard) in a coma, Claudia is hired to use her unorthodox methods to help him recover faster. At first, Claudia appears intelligent and gentle but occasionally earns a side-eye from Lucious' wife, Cookie (Taraji P. Henson) for the way she touches the comatose Lucious. Miraculously, her methods awaken him, only for the Lyon family to learn that Lucious is suffering from amnesia, a classic soap opera trope that propels the story into the next season.
In the early episodes of Season 4, Claudia is constantly by Lucious's side, helping him adjust to a prosthetic and regain his memories. While Moore's scenes with Howard are powerful, her tense interactions with Henson truly stand out. Cookie, trying to restore her relationship with Lucious while managing the business and family, is understandably frustrated by Claudia, whose calm professionalism hides deeper, more unsettling motives that Cookie sees right through. Henson's powerhouse performance as Cookie has been rightly praised, and Moore holds her own opposite her, as the two great actors play characters with their own personal traumas. Moore masterfully blends nurturing care with underlying tension, creating a dynamic and compelling triangle between Claudia, Cookie, and Lucious.
Moore stars as an aging actress who will do anything for youth.
Claudia's Unorthodox Methods Turn Into Obsession in 'Empire' Season 4
Image via FOX
In Season 4, Episode 5, Lucious begins experiencing synesthesia, seeing colors when he hears music. During a therapeutic painting session, his memories come flooding back, and he confuses Claudia for Cookie, calling her his muse and saying that he loves her. It's also a turning point for Claudia, who has clearly fallen in love with Lucious while nursing him back to health. However, when Lucious tells her that there's been a misunderstanding, Claudia's world comes crashing down. Moore’s voice trembles and her eyes well with tears as she transitions from concerned nurse to jilted lover. Lucious kicks Claudia out, but it's clear this won't be the last time we see her.
Claudia's final appearance in "Birds in the Cage" is the standout in Moore's arc. In a Misery-like twist, she kidnaps Lucious and Cookie, holding them captive in a remote cabin. The scenes are a performance masterclass from Moore, Howard and Henson, where the tension and thrills carry an entire act. Claudia aims to convince Lucious to go back to being "Dwight" and that what he has with Cookie isn't love, but something evil and toxic. Surprisingly, her unconventional methods actually force Cookie and Lucious into uncomfortable conversations that they've never had before about their past. Far from dividing the couple, it unites them, and after an intense axe-wielding sequence, Claudia is taken down and arrested.
In lesser hands, this role may have ended up being very one-dimensional. Though there are plenty of campy moments,Moore brought depth to Claudia, crafting a character that is both chilling and sympathetic. Her addition to an already stellar cast was one of Season 4's highlights, and she clearly relished playing such a complex, wild role. Although she didn’t share any screentime with her daughter, Rumer Willis, who also appeared in Season 4, she still got to act opposite some of the show's best cast members, making Claudia one of Empire's most memorable characters.
All seasons of Empire are available to stream on Hulu.
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Empire
A hip-hop mogul must choose a successor among his three sons who are battling for control over his multi-million dollar company, while his ex-wife schemes to reclaim what is hers.
Image via Fox
Image via FOX
English (US) ·