Mikey Madison on oscar buzz for anora: ‘Overwhelming and Amazing’
In many ways, anora feels like a modern fairy tale—albeit an unconventional one. The film’s protagonist, ani, is a stripper and occasional sex worker, while her so-called prince charming is the pampered son of a russian oligarch. Their whirlwind romance leads to a spontaneous las vegas wedding, but ani soon discovers that their union faces fierce opposition.
For Mikey Madison, who plays ani, the role has been a dream come true. The film provides her with an opportunity to showcase a broad emotional range, from unyielding strength to delicate vulnerability.
“I recognised from the beginning that she’s a very complicated character, very nuanced,” Madison says. “I always felt that she was someone who was very vulnerable on the inside but constantly covering it up with hardness or aggression. But I do think that she’s quite soft inside.”
Madison portrays ani as a woman desperately clinging to the possibility of happiness, despite the obstacles she faces. “I think she’s hopeful that this is her happily ever after. It’s an opportunity she doesn’t want to let go of, and she’s going to fight to the end to try and save it.”
The film—and Madison’s performance in particular—has gained considerable awards momentum, beginning with its premiere at the cannes film festival. Winning the prestigious palme d’Or propelled anora into the global spotlight, and since then, the accolades have continued to pour in.
“I have been working for almost a decade now—well, trying to work. And my ultimate dream was to go to cannes,” Madison shares. “We had a film in the main competition, and then we won [the palme d’Or]—that was crazy in itself. Everything that has followed has been an absolutely wonderful, pleasant surprise.”
She expresses immense gratitude for the recognition the film has received. “I went into it feeling really proud of the film, knowing we had made something special to us. The fact that the film is also special to other people is wonderful. It’s a dream.”
A star is born
Before Anora, Madison was relatively unknown, with small roles in Scream V and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. However, director Sean Baker saw something exceptional in her and wrote the role of Ani specifically with her in mind.
“She’s so unique—not only in her physicality but in her aura,” Baker explains. “She’s actually quite subdued in real life—reserved. But then suddenly, she can explode like no other actor I’ve ever seen.”
Baker praises her ability to shift seamlessly between emotional extremes. “I was always looking forward to those moments while shooting the film, knowing a scene would call for that. You don’t detect anything, and then suddenly, total eruption. It was incredible to watch.”
The film itself defies easy categorisation, something Madison embraced during filming. “As an actor, sometimes I felt like I was shooting a very romantic film. Other times, it felt like a horror film, or a drama, or a slapstick comedy. Navigating through all these different genres was fun. It was a challenge, and I liked it!”
‘Oscar talk’
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Madison, now 25, has been nominated for best actress at every major awards ceremony, including the golden globes, the BAFTAs, and the Academy Awards. She is widely considered the main contender against hollywood veteran demi moore in the race for the oscar.
Speaking before her academy award nomination, Madison admitted she was still coming to terms with the overwhelming response to her performance. “I know that I’m incredibly overjoyed, honoured, and humbled that our film is being recognised in this way. But I’m just processing it.”
She describes the experience as “overwhelming and amazing, and all of the things,” visibly moved by the acclaim she has received.
If Madison wins the oscar next month, she will join an elite group of young stars to have claimed the award, including Jennifer Lawrence, Marlee Matlin, and audrey hepburn. Given her remarkable journey from relative obscurity to the pinnacle of Hollywood recognition, her story might just have the perfect fairy-tale ending after all.
