She was the favorite for the Rising Star nomination at the 2025 BAFTA Awards. And indeed, Anora would not have been the same without Mikey Madison, who brought her to life and played a key role in its colossal success. This is evident from the numerous nominations she received for Best Actress across various awards, including the Oscars.
While Madison was nominated for two BAFTA categories — Rising Star and Best Actress — she lost the former to David Jonsson from Alien: Romulus. But that was not the end of the story. Madison had a more significant and meaningful victory awaiting her — she took home the Best Actress award, beating out stars like Cynthia Erivo, Demi Moore, Saoirse Ronan, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.
Mikey Madison admitted that she didn’t expect to win and hadn’t prepared an acceptance speech, joking, "I probably should’ve listened to my publicist when she told me to write a speech." She went on to thank her mother, saying "She’s driven me to so many auditions" and also expressed gratitude toward her fellow cast members.
After thanking her co-stars and director Sean Baker, Madison concluded her speech by paying tribute to sex workers. She said,
“I just wanna say that I see you. You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and ally, and I urge others to do the same.”
Before her standout role in Anora, Mikey Madison had already carved a niche for herself in roles that showcased her emotional intensity, particularly through screaming and intense scenes.
Notably, in Scream (2022), she portrayed Amber Freeman, a Ghostface killer who’s deeply immersed in chaos and screams throughout the film. In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019), she played a member of the Manson Family, where she had a brief but brutal scene trying to kill Brad Pitt's character, only to be attacked and mauled by his dog.
Her screams in that scene were unforgettable, emphasizing her talent for high-emotion performances. Funny enough, both Scream and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood saw her scream and act aggressively, much like her character in Anora, where she often had to defend herself in intense and violent situations.
