Mikey Madison on Her ‘Anora’ Oscar Moment and Why She Played a Saved Voicemail From Her Father to Shoot Crucial Final Scene

variety.com:

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Mikey Madison is still processing her Oscar nomination. The 24-year-old actress, known for her roles in the FX series “Better Things,” as well as the films “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood” and “Scream 5,” has been a working actor for over a decade, navigating the highs and heartbreaks of the industry.

But this year, after her searing performance in Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winner “Anora,” she’s found herself in the midst of awards season and an Oscar nominee for best actress.

Madison spoke to Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast for this week’s episode; listen below. As much as “Anora” demanded from her, nothing compared to the final scene.

Madison had been dreading it. “I would see it on the schedule and just think, Okay, it’s a couple weeks away, I don’t have to deal with it yet,” she says. “But then suddenly, it was right there.” What makes the scene even more poignant is that Madison drew inspiration from a deeply personal source: a voicemail left by her father. “I listened to it before filming,” she reveals. “I don’t think I’ve ever used something so personal for a scene before.