The 2025 Oscars became an unforgettable night for Mikey Madison as she took home the prestigious Best Actress award.
Madison won the trophy for her role in ‘Anora,’ a film that entered the ceremony as a frontrunner in several major categories, including Best Picture and Best Director, according to Variety.
In Sean Baker’s “Anora,” Madison plays the title character — a sex worker whose life is thrown into chaos after marrying the son of a Russian oligarch. Throughout the awards season, Madison has been vocal in supporting the sex worker community, and she continued to do so in her Oscars acceptance speech.
“This is very surreal,” Madison said at the start of her emotional speech. “I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me, so to be here, standing in this room today, is really incredible.”
She went on to honor the sex worker community: “I just want to recognize and honor the sex worker community. I will continue to support and be an ally. Meeting the incredible people, the women from that community, has been one of the highlights of this entire experience.”
Madison also paid tribute to her fellow nominees: “I want to recognize the thoughtful, intelligent, beautiful, breathtaking work of my fellow nominees. I’m honored to be recognized alongside all of you. This is a dream come true.”
Madison triumphed over a strong lineup of nominees, including Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”), Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”), Karla Sofia Gascon (“Emilia Perez”), and Demi Moore (“The Substance”). While Moore began the awards season with major wins at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, Madison cemented her status as a top contender with her BAFTA win and sealed it with her Oscars victory.