How ‘Scream’ Led To An Oscar-Nominated Performance By ‘Anora’s Mikey Madison – Contenders Film: The Nominees

deadline.com:

Neon’s Anora, which since winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in May has become one of the most praised and nominated movies of the year including six Oscar nominations, joined Deadline for its annual Contenders Film: The Nominees virtual showcase.

The panel for the pic — up for Best Picture, Director, Original Screenplay, Actress, Supporting Actor and Film Editing at the Oscars — featured Sean Baker (the most nominated individual at the Oscars this year as producer, director, screenwriter and editor), Lead Actress nominee Mikey Madison, and producers Samantha Quan and Alex Coco.

A wild comedy and sharp character study, Anora is the story of a young sex worker who is caught up in a whirlwind relationship and quickie marriage to an out-of-control young son of Russian oligarchs.

So much of it hinges on its star, and her casting, as Baker says, is right out of the book of legendary star-is born tales. “Well, her performance [as one of the girls involved in the Manson murders] in Once Upon a Time In Hollywood really caught my attention,” he said. “Then a few years later when we were moving forward with Anora, we knew we had to start looking for our Ani.