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Mikey Madison poses with the leading actress award for Anora at the Baftas. Alamy Stock Photo

Mikey Madison takes leading actress Bafta in pre-Oscars surprise

The 25-year-old took home the award for her role in Anora.

THERE WERE GASPS of surprise and whoops of delight from journalists in the winners press room when Mikey Madison was announced as the winner of the best leading actress Bafta for her role in Anora. 

The film also took home the trophy for best casting at the ceremony in London this evening. 

The romantic comedy tells the story of a young sex worker from Brooklyn, played by Madison, who falls for and marries the son of a Russian oligarch.

Accepting her award, Madison thanked those who worked on Anora with her and expressed regret that she did not listen to her publicist when advised to write a speech, adding that she had not expected to win the award.  

She also took a moment to recognise sex workers in her speech. “I just want to say that I see you. You deserve respect and human decency. I will always be a friend and an ally and I implore others to do the same.”

Later in the winners press conference, Madison said the only word she could use to describe the win was “surreal”.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever really fully grasp the magnitude of being in a room like that,” she said.

That room is full of my idols, incredible creatives who I admire so much. A lot of people in that room are people who made me fall in love with filmmaking and acting. It’s so amazing.

The win for the 25-year-old actress will be seen as blowing the race for the Best Actress Oscar wide open. 

Madison beat Demi Moore, who won the Golden Globe for her performance in hit horror film The Substance, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who some critics expected to take home tonight’s award for her role in Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths.

Saoirse Ronan was also nominated for the award for her performance as Rona, a young woman battling alcohol addiction in the film The Outrun, with Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo also missing out on the gong. 

Erivo is named in the Best Actress category at the Oscars alongside Madison and Moore. Fernanda Torres is also among the nominees for her role in I’m Still Here, where she plays a mother and activist coping with the disappearance of her husband in Brazil.

Karla Sofía Gascón is also nominated for Emilia Pérez, the musical-thriller that follows three women in Mexico. However, controversial social media posts that recently resurfaced has seen the actress condemned by many and put a win for her in serious doubt. 

The Oscars will be held in Los Angeles on 2 March. 

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