Mikey Madison says starring in Anora has changed the trajectory of her career.
The 25-year-old actress, who appears in PEOPLE’s 2025 Oscar Portfolio, on stands now, says she’s “definitely” been getting some exciting offers since the film debuted last year to great acclaim.
“There are some things that I am really excited about and have my fingers crossed,” says the L.A. native and first-time Oscar nominee, who’s up for Best Actress alongside Demi Moore (The Substance), Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here) and Karla Sofía Gascón (Emilia Pérez).
“My biggest dream is to continue a career in film,” continues Madison. “And so, I’m really hopeful that this year I’ll get to keep doing that.”
Rosaline Shahnavaz
Prior to Anora — about a brash stripper and sex worker from New York City who elopes with Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) the irresponsible son of a wealthy and powerful Russian oligarch — Madison was best known for starring in the FX comedy series Better Things and appearing in 2022’s Scream.
The film, directed by Sean Baker, “really changed the way that I want to make movies, and really changed how I want to feel when I’m working on something,” she says. “I’m really just chasing this, I don’t know, this very specific feeling, this joy.”
Rosaline Shahnavaz
Next on her wish list of movies to make? “I want to do a Western or something,” says Madison, one of five siblings raised by parents Michael and Tracy, who are both psychologists.
Though she’s looking forward to her next projects, Madison is hoping to live in the moment and enjoy awards season. “I’ve gotten a lot of advice. I think just to try to stay present, not take yourself too seriously, is advice I think I consistently keep getting,” she says.
“And so I’m like, ‘Oh, am I taking myself, am I being too serious?’ But yeah, I mean, I think it’s really important though. I am constantly reminding myself to stay present, which is sort of a hard thing to remind yourself of,” she adds.
Courtesy of TIFF
“But I do feel often in my life I’m sort of living a little bit into the future, or too far back in time,” says Madison. “And so I’m really trying to just remember, keep certain memories to have forever. Maybe I should start journaling or something, because I really want to remember all of this.”
Conan O’Brien hosts the 2025 Oscars, which will air live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu.
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