Mikey Madison
is one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in Hollywood today, and she has appeared in several great films. Madison was born in Los Angeles, California in 1999, and began acting when she was just 14 years old. Mikey Madison found her breakout role in the series Better Things in the lead role of Max Fox, therefore first gaining the industry’s attention in 2016. During the series’ five-season run, Madison began to further push her career with supporting roles in several major films.
Madison was among the future major stars cast in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and proved herself as adept at horror as she is in drama films in the 2022 reboot of Scream. Now, thanks to her performance in Anora, Mikey Madison is a top contender for this year’s Best Actress Oscar. In fact, Anora has already won numerous awards, many of them going to Madison herself, proving how talented the young actor is and how her career has flourished over time.
9
Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey (2017)
As Liza
Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey is undoubtedly an important milestone in Mikey Madison’s career because it is her film debut. However, it is sadly the most disappointing title in her filmography, though this points to the positive fact that she has continually improved over time. The drama film garnered little attention at the time of its release, but the critics who did review it found Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey to be underwhelming. While the makings of Madison’s star power are visible, they are largely hidden by the negative aspects of the movie.
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Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey centers on two teenagers, played by Madison and Sean H. Scully, in California during the 1960s. After learning that Brett will be forced to move back to New York at the end of the summer, he and Liza decide to go on a road trip up the California coast with the primary goal of losing their virginity. While the movie hints at some of the interesting social movements of the time, like the reaction to the Vietnam War and the growing civil rights and feminist movements, the context is left largely unexplored.
8
Nostalgia (2018)
As Kathleen
Nostalgia
- Release Date
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February 16, 2018
- Runtime
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115 minutes
- Director
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Mark Pellington
- Producers
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Jim Steele, Tom Gorai, Alex Ross Perry
Nostalgia has many of the makings of an impressive and well-received movie, but, unfortunately, it fails to hit the right notes. Nostalgia has an A-list cast including Jon Hamm, Catherine Keener, Nick Offerman, Bruce Dern, Ellen Burstyn, and more, with Mikey Madison playing a small role. Nostalgia explores the loosely interconnected stories of several different families who have experienced loss and grief, meditating briefly on the objects left behind and the life that they may represent.
The movie does make audiences consider the emotions involved in major life events, deaths, and disasters, but sadly, it does not offer quite enough reflection time for Nostalgia‘s message to hit home. As a result, Nostalgia mostly received negative reviews upon its release. Furthermore, it earns its low place in part because it is simply not one of Madison’s more impactful roles. Madison plays the friend of one character’s daughter, which means that she is not an important part of the film’s events other than its sad ending.
7
The Addams Family (2019)
As Candi
The 2019 take on the Addams Family cartoons is an enjoyable watch for the whole family. The Addams Family follows the titular family as they attempt to prepare for Pugsley’s Sabre Mazurka, while at the same time, malicious TV host Margaux Needler attempts to turn the townspeople against the Addams and force them out of their home. As with other Addams Family movies, this adaptation showcases the family in all its weird and wonderful glory, reminding viewers that though they may be creepy, they’re still a family like any other.
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At the time of its release, The Addams Family was a box office success, though its critical reviews were more mixed. Because The Addams Family has been adapted many times, the 2019 version does not necessarily bring a ton of new information to the family, but it is fun. While The Addams Family is certainly an entertaining movie for kids and adults alike, its place in Mikey Madison’s filmography is also a rather small one. Madison’s voice can only be heard briefly as a barista who works in Margaux Needler’s community, Assimilation.
6
It Takes Three (2021)
As Kat Walker
It Takes Three
- Release Date
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September 17, 2021
- Runtime
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90 minutes
Cast
-
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David Gridley
Chris Newton
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-
It Takes Three is an interesting and underrated addition to Madison’s career as the only typical rom-com that she has been in so far. It Takes Three serves as a very loose adaptation of the play Cyrano de Bergerac, in which a teenage boy named Cy attempts to help a more popular boy, Chris, win the affection of Roxy. In this movie, Madison plays Kat, a friend of Cy who initially encourages him but ultimately feels disappointed by his refusal to be himself.
The modern updates are a bit annoying at points and none of the characters feel entirely full, meaning that the movie will likely never earn the popularity of the adaptations that came before it.
The movie is a teen rom-com that never goes too deep, which is both its limitation and its strength. On the positive side, It Takes Three is definitely worth watching once for fans of the genre because it is largely light and funny and the characters find their happy endings. The modern updates are a bit annoying at points and none of the characters feel entirely full, meaning that the movie will likely never earn the popularity of the adaptations that came before it. However, Madison does display a level of charm and heart that adds something extra.
5
Monster (2018)
As Alexandra Floyd
Madison also makes an appearance in the Netflix movie Monster, which is based on the 1999 novel of the same name. The intense legal drama centers on a young man who is accused of murder and sees his entire life change as a result. Monster reflects on the ways in which people’s treatment of others is heavily influenced by their own perceptions and limited understandings of events, creating a gripping story that audiences will be left thinking about after the movie ends.
While Madison again does not have a starring role in Monster, it is nonetheless one of the more impressive and highly rated films in her filmography. Monster features a recognizable cast led by Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Ehle, and many others. Fittingly, the film’s performances are the aspect that received the highest praise. The movie currently holds a 68% on Rotten Tomatoes with many of the negative reviews pointing to the heavy-handed writing, but Monster is still worth a watch overall.
4
All Souls (2023)
As River
Released in December 2023, All Souls was Madison’s last movie before Anora, but it got surprisingly little attention. All Souls is a very different type of film from the other projects that Madison has worked on because of the gritty nature of the intense crime thriller. All Souls follows a young mother (Madison) who is forced to become a confidential informant for the police after being caught attempting to distribute drugs. In choosing to help them to keep her daughter safe, Madison’s character enters far more dangerous situations.
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Though All Souls is a bit cliché at times when it comes to the exploration of Madison’s character’s decisions and struggles, it is nonetheless an entertaining watch. The movie is fairly fast-paced throughout, and there are some strong action sequences. As Madison has proven through the biggest performances of her career so far, she has the talent to pull off many different character archetypes, and she proves to be the saving grace of All Souls for this reason.
3
Scream (2022)
As Amber Freeman
Along with being an all-around great revival of a beloved horror series, Scream also marked the first time that Madison took on a leading role in a major franchise. Scream returns to Woodsboro, the site of the original installation, and focuses on a new group of friends centered around high school student Tara, who is attacked and injured by a new Ghostface one night. When her sister returns to check on her, more secrets about the town’s past and its new characters are revealed.
While it is great to see original cast members return, Scream also benefits from the new additions, including Mikey Madison.
Scream continues all the things that the franchise has always been great at, from the scares to the meta and self-referential aspects. While it is great to see original cast members return, Scream also benefits from the new additions, including Mikey Madison. Though Scream (2022) is not as good as the original Scream movie (as the series itself has pointed out, it’s hard for sequels to be as good as the original), it did breathe new life into the franchise, and the movie is certainly worth the time of horror fans.
2
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
As Sadie
The 2019 movie Once Upon a Time in Hollywood marked the beginning of Madison’s true rise to fame, making it one of the most important movies in her career. Madison went all-out to get the role, and it definitely paid off as her performance is quite impressive. Madison appears as a member of the Manson family, Sadie, in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which centers on the actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double and driver, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), as they react to the changing industry and befriend Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who lives next door.
Madison’s role in the movie is by no means the biggest, but it is important, and her skills are noticeable. More generally, though, the leading performances of Pitt, DiCaprio, and Robbie received praise from critics, as did Tarantino’s direction and the film’s pacing. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was a box office and critical success. The movie won two Oscars, three Golden Globes, four Critics’ Choice Awards, and one BAFTA, among numerous other awards and nominations.
1
Anora (2024)
As Anora “Ani” Mikheeva
Likely unsurprisingly, Anora ranks as Madison’s best movie for several reasons. First and foremost, Madison’s performance as Ani is outstanding. Anora follows Ani, a sex worker, who marries the son of a Russian oligarch on a whim, but by Anora‘s bleak ending, she is left feeling emptier than ever before because of the chaotic experience. Ani is a confident and headstrong character who feels perfectly at home in the world she inhabits. Even when other characters attempt to belittle her or make her feel out of place, Ani knows who she is.
Going into the Academy Awards, Anora saw even more recognition, yet it was already one of the most-awarded movies of 2024. The film’s screenplay and supporting performances made a splash, but the real highlight of the movie is Madison. The nuance with which she portrays Ani through both her dialogue and expressions is a real treat for audiences. Though Anora is certainly the best performance of Mikey Madison‘s career so far, we look forward to seeing what the talented star has in store in the future.
Mikey Madison
- Birthdate
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March 25, 1999
- Birthplace
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Los Angeles, California, USA
