Mikey Madison

Mikey Madison is an American actress who made history as the first Generation Z performer to win an Academy Award in an acting category. Born Mikaela Madison Rosberg in Los Angeles, she grew up in the San Fernando Valley with her twin brother and three other siblings to psychologist parents.

Madison began acting as a teenager, landing her first major role in the FX comedy series Better Things (2016-2022). She gained further recognition with supporting roles in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) and the slasher reboot Scream (2022).

Her career reached extraordinary heights with Sean Baker’s Anora (2024), where she played the titular stripper and sex worker. Baker wrote the role specifically for her after watching her previous performances. For the film, Madison learned Russian, studied pole dancing, and performed her own stunts. The film won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and five Academy Awards including Best Picture.

Madison’s Oscar win for Best Actress in March 2025 was a major upset, beating favorites including Demi Moore. At 25, she became a symbol of a new generation of Hollywood talent. She notably doesn’t use social media, preferring to let her work speak for itself.