Mikey Madison, who played the energetic and tenacious sex worker in the film “Anora,” won an Oscar.
It was Madison's first Oscar nomination.
The victory was agitated. After seeing a career revival of dynamic performances as an aging fitness star in “Materials,” Demi Moore preferred to win her first Oscar for the role.
“Anola” won the biggest award of the night: Best Picture – directed by Sean Baker and revolves around the Madison character known as Annie.
This role required feats of physicality, performing dancer jobs in strip clubs and fighting back when the oligarchs sent his henchmen to negate the Las Vegas marriage.
“This is a dream come true. I'll wake up tomorrow,” Madison said in his acceptance speech. She thanked Baker, her family, and film athletic consultant Kennady Schneider.
Madison also highlighted the impact the sex worker had on her performance. To study her personality, she reads memoirs by sex workers and highlights Andrea Verhun's “Modern Whores” section.
“I also just want to recognize and honor the sex worker community,” Madison said. “I will continue to support and be on my side. The incredible people, the women I had the privilege to meet from that community, were one of the highlights of this incredible experience.”
In preparation for this role, Madison also lived in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach area – many of the films are set – practiced her accents and visited the kinds of clubs depicted in the film. She also began to learn Russian – her delivery didn't have to be perfect for the film – and then she took pole dance lessons. The role included significant nudes and many intimate scenes, but Madison never felt daunted for her. “I think it's because I've always been comfortable and so did Annie.”
Madison, 25, is one of the youngest award-winning actresses. She was the same age as Grace Kelly won the 1954 film “The Country Girl,” and when Hilary Swank won the 1999 film “Boys Don't Cry.”
Madison played a breakout role as a teenager in the series “Better Things” before catching Baker's eye as Manson's family in Quentin Tarantino's “Once Upon a Hollywood” and the 2022 thrasher film “Scream.”
Her performance in “Anora” drew a rave review. In The Times, film critic Alyssa Wilkinson calls Madison “a charming” and writes that the role “threw dancing and powerful punches in exposed and non-existent clothing, along with elements of slapstick, romance, comedy and tragedy.”
Other candidates in this category included Cynthia Eribo, who starred as Elphaba in the film music “Evil.” Cara Sophia Gascon, the first openly trans actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for her role in “Emilia Perez.” And Fernanda Torres is the standout drama from “I'm Still Here,” a drama about a family torn apart by Brazil's military regime.
“I also just want to recognize the thoughtful, intelligent, beautiful, breathtaking work of my fellow candidates,” Madison said in his acceptance speech. “I'm honored to be recognized together.”
