Awards Season is officially upon us, with the Golden Globe winners giving a possible hint about which projects and performances might be recognized by other ceremonies. But the Oscars are usually a tighter race, mostly because there are fewer categories than the Globes. I’ve been catching up on the big titles that have been raking up nominations, including finally watching Sean Baker’s Anora. And if actress Mikey Madison doesn’t get an Oscar nomination I’m going to freak out.
Anora is one of 2024’s best comedies, although it’s also got plenty of dramatic moments during its second half. I rented the film via my Amazon Prime subscription, and was completely captivated by Madison’s work as the titular stripper and escort. She was laugh-out-loud hilarious (especially with that accent), did some stunt work and delivered on the film’s emotional ending. And because she hit all of those points so successfully, I think she definitely deserves to get a nod or Best Actress at the 2025 Academy Awards.
Madison’s starpower has been steadily growing for years now, with notable roles as a killer in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood and even as Ghostface in 2022’s Scream movie (which is streaming with a Paramount+ subscription).
With Anora, Mikey Madison was at the top of the call sheet, and really stepped up to the plate as the title character. And as someone who has interviewed the 25-year-old actress, her personality couldn’t be further from Anora’s boisterous and unapologetic attitude throughout the dramedy.
Regardless of whether or not Madison actually secures an Academy Award nomination when they come out tomorrow, Anora seems to be a star-making moment for her. Case in point: she’s now on the list of names fans think might portray a Bond Girl in the next 007 movie. And smart money says that if she secures her first Oscar nomination, she’ll jump up a few slots on said list.
This year’s Oscars race is a unique one, as there isn’t a clear winner or set of nominees that’s expected across the board. Demi Moore is a favorite for the Best Actress category, but only time will tell if the Academy recognizes her horror flick The Substance. Some other big names that Mikey Madison might have to battle for the Oscar nomination include Pamela Anderson for The Last Showgirl, Cynthia Erivo in Wicked, Fernanda Torres in I’m Still Here, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Hard Truths. While these are the favorites, other contenders for those coveted nominations are Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez and Kate Winslet for Lee, among others.
Only time will tell how things will shake out, but Anora is definitely worth the watch. While we wait to see who gets nominated, check the 2025 movie release dates.