Mikey Madison how will you celebrate your Best Actress win tonight?
That’s quite often the beaten question at any awards ceremony backstage for a winner, however, the Calabasas, California actress said, “I’ll come home to my new puppies, clean up their mess and that will bring me right back down to earth.”
Speaking to the press backstage following her Best Actress Oscar win Sunday night, the Anora star added that as far as her future in a 10-film canon, she’s been living in present. “I just want to keep making movies and tell stories that are compelling,” said the actress who won an Oscar off her first nom.
Working with filmmaker Sean Baker, who first learned about her after watching the Scream reboot, has “really reinvigorated my love of cinema.”
NEON’s Anora took home five Oscars out of their six nominations, including the top prize of the night, Best Picture. And, along with Madison’s Best Actress, director Sean Baker won Best Director, Editor and Original Screenplay.
The film follows Madison’s character Anora, known as “Ani”, as she navigates a spontaneous marriage to Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn), the son of a Russian Oligarch, whom she met at the New York strip club where she works.
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During her acceptance speech on stage, Madison paid tribute to her hometown of L.A., saying, “I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away for me, so standing in this room feels really incredible.”
She also added she wanted to “recognize and honor the sex worker community,” and added, “I will continue to support and be an ally.” She said meeting the women from that community who helped her in her research for the role had been “one of the highlights of this entire incredible experience.”
Madison had already won Best Actress at the Independent Spirit Awards and at BAFTA, and was nominated at the SAG Awards, Critics Choice and the Golden Globes, but was beaten there by The Substance‘s Demi Moore.
Anora premiered at Cannes this past May, where it won the Palme d’Or. It went on to sweep the Oscar precursor Guild awards, winning the top prize at the DGA, WGA and PGA and at Critics’ Choice.
Anthony D’Alessandro contributed to this article.