Mikey Madison becomes the second youngest best actress to win an Oscar, but who really is this new it girl?
At just 25, Mikey Madison has snatched Hollywood¡¯s attention (and an Oscar!) with her powerhouse performance in Anora. From her indie film beginnings to her breakthrough in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Scream, here¡¯s everything you need to know about the second-youngest Best Actress winner ever.
Mikey Madison just made history, and let¡¯s be real, Hollywood loves a fresh queen of the silver screen. At just 25 years old, she¡¯s now the second-youngest actress to ever win the Academy Award for Best Actress, and she¡¯s bringing serious main-character energy to 2025.
Mikey Madison: The second youngest best actress to win an Oscar
Her big win? Anora, a Brooklyn-set comedy-drama that had critics and audiences buzzing since its Cannes premiere. With six Oscar nominations under its belt, it¡¯s no shocker that the film catapulted Madison into Hollywood royalty. But before this career-defining moment, Madison was already quietly making waves in both television and film¡ªlet¡¯s break down how she got here.
From FX¡¯s better things to Tarantino¡¯s Hollywood
Born Mikaela Madison Rosberg in Los Angeles, Madison¡¯s journey to the Oscars wasn¡¯t your typical child-star story. Originally a competitive horseback rider (yes, really), she pivoted to acting in her mid-teens when her mom enrolled her in a class¡ªtalk about a plot twist.
She got her first taste of the industry playing Max Fox in FX¡¯s Better Things (2016-2022), where she nailed the role of a rebellious teen, proving she could balance comedy and drama like a pro. But Hollywood really took notice when she landed a role in Quentin Tarantino¡¯s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, playing the chilling Manson Family member Susan "Sadie" Atkins. That unhinged performance? Absolutely iconic.
Then came her horror era. In 2022, Madison joined the Scream franchise, playing Amber Freeman¡ªa villainous role that cemented her as a scream queen. She even appeared in X alongside Mia Goth, proving she¡¯s got the range to slay both critically acclaimed indies and mainstream blockbusters.
A career-defining role in Anora
Fast forward to 2024, and Madison found herself at the center of Sean Baker¡¯s Anora, a film practically written for her. To embody the role of an exotic dancer who marries into Russian oligarch chaos, she learned Russian, mastered her own stunts, and even took up pole dancing. The dedication paid off¡ªnot only did she snag the Oscar, but she also knocked out veteran actresses like Demi Moore (The Substance) and Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), securing her spot as the industry¡¯s latest it-girl.
And the hype doesn¡¯t stop there. With her Oscar win, Madison¡¯s career is about to skyrocket¡ªbigger roles, bigger paychecks, and an even brighter spotlight.
So, if you weren¡¯t paying attention to Mikey Madison before, now¡¯s the time. Hollywood¡¯s newest A-lister has arrived, and she¡¯s not going anywhere.
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