Her Screening for Sex Workers

For “Anora” star Mikey Madison, who plays a New York sex worker entangled with the son of a Russian Oligarch in Sean Baker‘s Palme d’Or winner, “besides winning the Palme” back in May, the “highlight” since wrapping was hosting a screening for real-life sex workers and strippers.

“That was something I wanted to do for a long time,” Madison said. “I could probably cry talking about it. It’s the most important thing because the movie is for sex workers. So that was really special. Just to walk in and all of these amazing women are clapping with their heels, giving us applause. That was beautiful.”

Madison and Baker were joined by the rest of the leading cast outside of Los Angeles’ Vista Theater Tuesday night to celebrate “Anora’s” LA premiere, which featured the first screening of the film’s 35mm film scan.

“Anora” follows a young woman named Ani, short for Anora, who scrapes by stripping and escorting in Brighton Beach, N.Y. After meeting and quickly marrying Ivan (Mark Eidelshtein), the son of a Russian billionaire, Ani finds herself living in a fantasy full of sex, drugs and luxury. However, once news of their marriage gets to Russia, Ivan’s parents stop at nothing to put their relationship to an end.

Madison said that months of “intensive dance training and conditioning” were required to master the moves for her role, which she described as “the most difficult thing” she has ever done for a film. Outside of the physical aspects, her prep also exposed her to the emotional toll stripping can take on the women who do it professionally.

“I was ripped, like my whole body. Never in my life have I had that much chest strength,” Madison said. “It completely opened up my eyes to this line of work and these women who do a job that is so physically demanding and psychologically demanding. You have to emotionally connect with the client and dance in a really difficult way. It’s a very complex line of work.”

Baker had “kept an eye” on Madison since seeing her performance in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” But after seeing her in the 2022 “Scream” reboot, he and his producer and wife Samantha Quan immediately knew she was their Ani.

“In ‘Scream,’ she was playing a young woman who was fun and cool of attitude, and really could hold her own,” Baker said. “She had a very interesting physicality and face. I knew she was going photograph so well, so we made our decision right there.”

“There is only one Mikey Madison,” added Quan. “Anything you’ve ever seen her in, she is so talented and magnetic in a way that no one else is. Even in smaller parts, you just can’t stop watching.”

“Anora” hits theaters Oct. 18.