When Mikey Madison took home the Best Actress Oscar for Anora, she was overwhelmed. It wasn’t just the victory—it was the journey, the people she worked with, and the unexpectedness of it all. “For lack of a better word, it’s just incredibly surreal,” Madison said backstage. “I never thought anything like this would happen in my life.”
Despite her growing success, Madison has always seen herself as an actress who simply loves making movies, and winning an Oscar was never part of her expectations. “I’ve dreamed of being in a film like Anora my entire career,” she said. “It’s a huge honor, one that I think will soak in later down the line, hopefully. I really did not expect it at all.”
A Historic Night for Anora
It wasn’t just Madison who had a life-changing night—Anora director Sean Baker won four Oscars, making history as one of the most-awarded filmmakers in a single evening.
“Sean is an incredible filmmaker, an incredible writer, an amazing editor, and just a true lover of cinema,” Madison said. “He has dedicated so much of his career to telling really important stories, and I’m so happy for him.” Her admiration for Baker is clear.
“He’s a true indie filmmaker,” she continued. “We just went off and made this weird, crazy movie, had fun, and poured our hearts into it.”
The film’s journey started at Cannes, a festival Madison had long dreamed of attending.
“That was just a dream come true for me,” she said. “Everything that has followed has been wonderful.”
What Comes Next?
Despite being early in her career, Madison now holds one of Hollywood’s most prestigious awards. But when asked what’s next, she admitted she’s still figuring it out. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the future, but also the past,” she said. “I’m really trying to remind myself to stay as present as possible throughout all of this.”
Her hope?
“I just want to keep making movies, continue to work with people who inspire me, play interesting characters, and tell compelling stories.”
And before anything else, she plans on celebrating with her new puppies. “Tonight, I’m going to go home to my new puppies and probably clean up their mess,” she laughed. “And that’s going to bring me right back down to earth.”
A Character That Changed Her Life
Madison has previously spoken about how playing Anora helped her come out of her shell and build confidence. When asked what she would say to the character now, she paused, visibly emotional. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Making this film gave me confidence as an actor and as a creative. It reinvigorated my love of cinema and reminded me of the kind of work I want to do.”
The experience of portraying Anora has left a lasting imprint on her. “There will always be a small part of me that carries around the experience of making this film and this character,” she said. “It has changed my life in so many ways—not just because of what’s happening right now, but because of the experience of working with Sean Baker, learning, and meeting incredible people from the sex work community.”
Her gratitude was palpable.
“I’ve met and made so many incredible friends through this,” she said. “So I would just say thank you.”
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