Mikey Madison as Ani Anora.

Not one for social media or celebrity, she is trying to draw that new swarm of attention to a cause: destigmatizing sex work. For AnoraMadison’s knowledge of that world was ‘minimal’; Today, she considers some sex workers friends. “Everything has changed,” she says. “I have a completely different perspective on it. In a club, women almost have a position of power, but outside of it people look at them very differently.” Ani is “a sex worker, but that’s just her job,” she continues. “She is a person and I hope she is seen as such.”

About the challenge of portraying a character so different from herself

I noticed that it took a lot of energy every day to be where Ani was, where she was always ready to argue. She is very fast, both verbally and physically. I don’t feel like that in any way. I wanted her to be very guarded on the outside, but completely torn, emotional and ragged on the inside. I had to be in both places, and to show you in her eyes that she’s not just a really tough girl. I wanted you to see all those layers of who she is, and so it was important for me to go to those places. But also tiring.

About filming sex and lap dancing scenes

I felt so comfortable. I was really in tune with the main space Ani was in. Besides, I wasn’t the only one who was naked or dancing. I looked right and left, and there were other girls giving lap dances, and for every sex scene, Mark Eydelshteyn (Ivan) was also naked. Nudity is part of Anora’s job, so she has to be very strong and comfortable in that.

About what she wished she knew before she started acting

Everything. No one in my family was in the industry. I tried to throw myself into it without any knowledge of how anything works, and magically (or through hard work) I got to places, but it was so hard. It was an important lesson to learn, but I wish I trusted my instincts as an actor sooner. I think there were definitely times when I felt stifled or taken over by other people’s perspectives, but now I know that my opinion and my voice are very important.

Tops, pants, Dior.

About her weirdest ‘only in Hollywood’ story

I remember the first night when I moved into my new place. I live in a canyon on a hill, and I was walking out the door, and someone’s gold sports car was rolling backwards down the street with no one in it, very slowly. Hollywood can be a bit of a bubble, so you’re sure to meet some characters.

About why she started acting

I just longed for a different kind of connection that I wasn’t feeling, that I wasn’t getting – something I was looking for within myself and that manifested itself in my desire to become an actor. I can’t pinpoint a specific moment when I thought, “I want to be an actor, and here’s why.” Something drew me to it. I was very awkward and uncomfortable with myself in my teenage years. I was looking for something that could be a little emotional, and I think I found it.

On whether the condition of women in Hollywood has changed

There is of course a lot of room for improvement. Just asking this question means something isn’t quite right. I would like to see more men in power speaking out about women’s issues in Hollywood. I remember during #MeToo, when it was blowing up, I was like, ‘Where are all the guys that were around at that time? Why doesn’t anyone say anything? They must have known what happened.” It’s clear that women take care of each other, but shouldn’t men take care of women too? I would like that to change, because in the kind of world we live in, men are in a position of power: actors, producers, directors. It should uplift women. I think that should be a man’s role.

Romper, skirt, The Row.

About the challenge of mastering Anora’s dances

Dancers: It’s one of the hardest jobs, I think, because it’s not only physically demanding, but also emotionally demanding. I was working out a lot and doing intense pole training, even just for the 20 second scene where I was on the pole. I wanted Ani to look like a seasoned dancer, so that when you see that scene you know a lot about her: how long she’s been working in a club, how long she’s been dancing. And dancing is different at different clubs. The clubs in Los Angeles are different from those in New York, and a gentleman’s club – more of a lap dancing club – is different from a strip club. It’s very nuanced and I wanted it to be very specific.

On what she hopes to do next

In all my next projects, I want to feel the same way I did when making Sean’s film. I have many dreams that I still want to realize, and I would love to make films that I am passionate about until I am 90 years old. I’m in no rush to find the next thing. I wait for something I fall in love to come to me, or for me to find it.

Main image: bodysuit, skirt, The Row. Mules, Schiaparelli.

Hair by Kim Kimble at the Only Agency; makeup by Samuel Paul for Armani Beauty; manicure by Jolene Brodeur at the Wall Group; produced by Petty Cash production.

A version of this story will appear in the December 2024/January 2025 issue of ELLE.

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This story is part of ELLE’s Women in Hollywood Portfolio 2024. Click the link below for all the cover stories.

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Lauren Puckett-Pope is a culture writer at ELLE, where she primarily writes film, television and books. She was previously an associate editor at ELLE.