Mikey Madison is opening up about what her first Oscar nomination means to her.
Madison is nominated this year for best actress for her starring role in "Anora," director Sean Baker's modern-day take on the "Cinderella" story. She plays the titular character, a sex worker who is thrown into a world of chaos after she marries the son of a Russian oligarch.
Oscars 2025: Full list of nominations"It's a Sean Baker film, and if you're not familiar with his work, he is such a unique, singular filmmaker," Madison told "Good Morning America" on Wednesday. "He has a wonderful kind of wicked, naughty sense of humor. He's just really interested in telling stories about humanity and interesting characters and worlds. I would say just go in with an open mind."
One person who went in with an open mind: Madison's grandmother, whom she described as "very regal and polite." Despite the risqué subject matter, her grandmother came out loving the film.
@gma Best actress nominee Mikey Madison’s grandma is her number one fan and says she has seen #Anora multiple times. 👀🎥🥹 #Oscars #mikeymadison ♬ original sound - Good Morning America
"But she's my grandma. She saves all of my magazine clippings and covers. She loved the film. I think she's seen it a few times," the actress said. "I was a little concerned, but she went and saw it herself and then called me and said she loved it and I was like, 'Oh, thank god!'"
Review: The 10 best movies of 2024Madison said she was having a "very sweet and low key" FaceTime with her family watching the Oscars nomination ceremony when she heard her name listed as a nominee alongside the likes of Cynthia Erivo for "Wicked," Karla Sofía Gascón for "Emilia Pérez," Demi Moore for "The Substance" and Fernanda Torres for "I'm Still Here."
"It's not a competition. We've all already won. I think it's just a celebration from here on out. It's a celebration of film," she said of the best actress race. "I don't think there's such a thing as best performance, you know? That's hard for me to wrap my mind around. I think it's just, I don't know, recognizing something really special in everybody."
Madison said a highlight of her Oscars journey so far has been being able to connect with her fellow nominees.
"That's really important to me, my relationships and friendships with other women," she said. "That's been one of the best parts of all of this, is just being able to get to know everyone and witness their talent and kindness in person."
"GMA" previously caught up with Madison at the 2025 National Board of Review Gala last month, where she said her role in "Anora" changed her life "in so many ways."
@gma Mikey Madison says playing Ani in #Anora helped her evolve the way she works as an artist and helped her learn a lot about herself personally ❤️ #anora #mikeymadison #redcarpet ♬ original sound - Good Morning America
"I think it really evolved the way that I work as an artist and how I want to approach future projects or characters in the future. I think I learned a lot about myself, personally, making this film," she said at the time. "Also, I've gotten the opportunity to have this amazing adventure that has come with the release of the film. I'm very grateful for all of it."
The 2025 Oscars will take place Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET and will air live on ABC and streaming live on Hulu.
