Sean Baker dedicates his Oscar win for Anora to sex workers: 'My deepest respect. I share this with you'
Sean Baker's Anora won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay at the 97th Academy Awards. In his acceptance speech, Baker thanked the sex worker community for sharing their stories with him, dedicating the award to them. The film tells the story of a Brooklyn sex worker and has received widespread critical acclaim.
Anora made history at the 97th Academy Awards by taking home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Written by Sean Baker, the film tells the story of a Brooklyn sex worker whose life takes a dramatic turn after she meets the son of a Russian oligarch. In his acceptance speech, Sean Baker dedicated his award to the sex worker community, thanking them for sharing their stories with him.
Sean Baker thanks sex workers while accepting his first Academy Award
Anora is off to a great start at the Oscars, taking home the award for Best Original Screenplay. Sean Baker, the film's writer and director, accepted the honor and delivered a heartfelt thank-you speech, paying tribute to the sex worker community.
He said, "I want to thank the sex worker community. They have shared their stories. They have shared life experiences with me over the years. My deepest respect. Thank you. I share this with you!"
hell yes to this moment in Sean Baker's Oscar speech for Anora's screenplay:
¡ª Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) March 3, 2025
"I want to thank the sex worker community. They have shared their stories. They have shared life experiences with me over the years. My deepest respect. Thank you. I share this with you!" pic.twitter.com/WOeYdPRWIC
The Oscar win marks Baker's first Academy win, a milestone in his 25-year indie film career. Anora has received widespread critical acclaim, including winning the Palme d'Or at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and earning several other prestigious awards.
More about Anora
Anora, termed one of the most provocative films of the year, was a massive box office success in early 2024, grossing $41 million on a modest $6 million budget. The film's critical acclaim, which began at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, contributed significantly to its commercial success.
At the 97th Academy Awards, the dark fairytale received a total of six nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Editing for Sean Baker; Best Actress for Mikey Madison; and Best Supporting Actor for Yura Borisov, who delivered a breakthrough performance in the film.
Sean Baker shed light on the inspiration behind his film in an interview with IndieWire's Anne Thompson. Baker emphasized the widespread stigma surrounding sex work, noting that sex workers are often "dismissed, disrespected, and discarded."
¡°And what I wanted to have come across to the audience is how a young woman¡¯s hopes and dreams being shattered is affected by the nonchalant, casual attitude of others. They couldn¡¯t care less about her heart, who she is as a person, her humanity," he said.
For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
As an Entertainment Content Writer with 3+ Years of experience, I have been keeping a keen eye on who wore what. A self confessed Koreaboo, I am your fangirl next door. Ps: I take pride in saying that I grew up watching "It's Controversial" as a kid.
Read More