AnoraStar Mikey Madison Surprises as Best Actress Winner at BAFTAs, Says She'll 'Always Be an Ally' to Sex Workers

Mar. 15, 2025

Mikey Madison accepts the Leading Actress Award for ‘Anora’ on stage during the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2025 at The Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London.Photo:Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

Mikey Madisonwon big at theBAFTAs!

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Madison, 25, said as she took the stage. “I probably should have listened to my publicist and wrote a speech or something.” She first thanked director Sean Baker, saying, “I just adore you. You are an incredible person. I know you don’t like it when I praise you, but I have to just for a second. You’re so wonderful. You literally made my dreams come true.”

The actress continued to name others on her team before thanking her mom, who was not in attendance at the award show. “She’s not here, but she has driven me to literally hundreds of auditions, helped me put so many on tape, always helps me memorize my lines, and she’s my favorite scene partner. I love you,” she said.

Mikey Madison accepts the Leading Actress Award for ‘Anora’ on stage during the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2025 at The Royal Festival Hall on Feb. 16, 2025 in London.Stuart Wilson/BAFTA/Getty

Madison added, “To my fellow nominees, I’m just so in awe of all of you. You just gave beautiful performances. And really, the highlight of all of this has been getting to know all of you.”

Lastly, the actress said, “I want to take a moment to recognize the sex worker community. You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally, and I implore others to do the same. Thank you so much.”

Also in the running for BAFTA’s lead film actress prize this year wereCynthia ErivoforWicked,Karla Sofía GascónforEmilia Pérez, Marianne Jean-Baptiste forHard Truths, Demi Moore forThe SubstanceandSaoirse RonanforThe Outrun.

Of those, Erivo, Gascón and Madison are also nominated at the upcomingOscars, with the critically acclaimed Jean-Baptiste notably absent from that list.

Madison leads writer-director Sean Baker’s comedy-drama in the titular role, a stripper and sex worker experiencing a whirlwind Cinderella story. The actress has also recieved nominations at the Critics Choice Awards, Film IndependentSpirit Awards,Screen Actors Guild Awardsand more.

She recently spoke with PEOPLEin an exclusive interviewfor the 2025 Oscar Portfolio and said she’s “definitely” been getting some exciting offers since the film debuted last year to great acclaim.

“There are some things that I am really excited about and have my fingers crossed,” shared the L.A. native and first-time Oscar nominee.

Mikey Madison in ‘Anora’.Courtesy of TIFF

Courtesy of TIFF

“My biggest dream is to continue a career in film,” added Madison. “And so, I’m really hopeful that this year I’ll get to keep doing that.”

As forAnora, the actress said that movie “really changed the way that I want to make movies, and really changed how I want to feel when I’m working on something… I’m really just chasing this, I don’t know, this very specific feeling, this joy."

Marianne Jean-Baptiste in ‘Hard Truths’.StudioCanal

StudioCanal

Demi Moore in ‘The Substance’.Courtesy of MUBI

Courtesy of MUBI

Gascón, 52, was not in attendance at the BAFTAs following recentcontroversyover herresurfaced social media postscriticizing Muslim culture,George Floyd, diversity and more. The SpanishEmilia Pérezstar, who made history as thefirst openly transgender acting contenderat several awards shows,deactivatedher X (formerly) account on Jan. 31, and madevariousstatementsandinterviewsbeforeapologizingand vowing silence on Feb. 6.

Karla Sofía Gascón in ‘Emilia Pérez’.PAGE 114 - WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS - PATHÉ FILMS - FRANCE 2 CINÉMA

PAGE 114 - WHY NOT PRODUCTIONS - PATHÉ FILMS - FRANCE 2 CINÉMA

Recognized with multiple nominations for her work as Elphaba a.k.a. the so-called Wicked Witch of the West, Erivo, 38, was last seen at the BAFTAs in 2019 for the organization’s rising star award.

Wicked: Part One, directorJon M. Chu’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, costars BAFTA nomineeAriana Grandeas Glinda the Good Witch. Part Two, titledWicked: For Good, hits theaters Nov. 21.

Cynthia Erivo in ‘Wicked’.Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures

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Saoirse Ronan in ‘The Outrun’.Sony Pictures Classics

Sony Pictures Classics

See PEOPLE’s full coverage of the 77thBritish Academy Film Awards, airing on BBC One in the UK and BritBox in North America.

source: people.com