Mikey Madison won the Best Actress award at the 97th Academy Awards. This year’s other nominees were Fernanda Torres for *I’m Still Here*, Demi Moore for *The Substance*, Karla Sofía Gascón for *Emilia Pérez*, and Cynthia Erivo for *Wicked*. While all the nominees delivered impressive performances, Demi Moore was considered the frontrunner in most predictions for the Oscars 2025 due to her role as Elisabeth Sparkle in Coralie Fargeat’s critically acclaimed body horror film, *The Substance*.
Madison has achieved a stunning upset by winning the Academy Award for Best Actress, defeating Moore. At just 25 years old, Madison becomes the ninth-youngest recipient of this award in the history of the Academy Awards. The youngest winner remains Marlee Matlin, who won at the age of 21 for her performance in the 1986 film *Children of a Lesser God*. In addition to Madison’s win, the film Anora received four other Academy Awards, with Sean Baker taking home honors for Best Writing (Original Screenplay), Best Editing, Best Director, and Best Picture.
The Power of Performance:
The 2025 Oscar winners largely defied expectations, with Anora Madison’s victory over Elizabeth Moore being one of the most notable examples. Horror films, particularly those focused on body horror, typically do not receive recognition from the Oscars. However, this awards season and the conversations surrounding “The Substance” suggested that Moore was favored to win Best Actress. While either Madison or Moore could have taken the award, Madison’s win seems more in line with the types of films that usually perform well at the Oscars.
At this year’s Academy Awards, Anora achieved significant recognition, notably with Madison winning the Best Actress award. Although Anora’s total wins aren’t as dominant as Oppenheimer’s and Everything Everywhere All at Once, which each won seven Oscars in recent years, Anora’s success in the competitive environment is undeniable, largely due to Madison’s contributions. At just 25 years old, Madison led Anora’s cast and earned the Best Actress award, paving the way for many more nominations and win opportunities in the future.
“Anora” Success
All of the Best Actress nominees were deserving winners this year. I was hoping to see Erivo take home the award because of her outstanding performance in “Wicked,” and it would have made her an EGOT winner. However, Madison is a truly deserving winner as well, as her contribution was vital to the success of “Anora.” I’m excited to see where Madison’s career will lead following her Academy Award win, which will surely open up more opportunities for her.
