Who is Mikey Madison? Meet BAFTA 2025 Best Actress winner
What's the story
Rising Hollywood star Mikey Madison has been named the Best Actress at the 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). The ceremony was held at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday night. The 25-year-old actor beat out other nominees including Cynthia Erivo (Wicked), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths), Saoirse Ronan (The Outrun), Demi Moore (The Substance), and Karla Sofia Gascon (Emilia Pérez). Here's everything about Madison as she celebrates her big BAFTA win.
Career highlight
Madison's award-winning performance in 'Anora'
Madison bagged the coveted award for her performance in Sean Baker's film Anora, which was released internationally in October 2024. In the comedy-romantic drama, she played a sex worker. Accepting the award at BAFTA 2025, Madison thanked Baker and recognized the sex worker community, saying: "I want to take a moment to recognize the sex worker community. I want to say that I see you; you deserve respect and human decency—I will always be a friend and ally."
Twitter Post
Take a look at Madison's winning speech
Baftas 2025: Mikey Madison wins ‘Best Leading Actress’. “I want to take a moment to recognise the sex worker community. I want to say that I see you; you deserve respect and human decency – I will always be a friend and ally, and I implore others to do the same.” 👏
— Far Out Magazine (@FarOutMag) February 16,
🎥: BBC… pic.twitter.com/HXF5m9PBfJ2025
Early life
Madison's journey from horseback rider to Hollywood star
Madison was born into a Jewish family in Los Angeles, California. Both of her parents are psychologists. Despite their academic background, Madison's path took a different turn when she developed an early passion for performance and storytelling. Before stepping into the world of acting, Madison was deeply involved in competitive horseback riding. However, as she grew older, her interests shifted. Madison made her acting debut in 2013, appearing in two short films, Retirement and Pani's Box.
Career growth
Madison's career progression and net worth
The actor rose to fame with her character Max Fox in the FX comedy-drama series Better Things in 2016. She also guest-starred in the Bravo dark comedy series Imposters between 2017 and 2018. Her roles in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) and the horror film Scream (2022) further increased her popularity. As of 2024, reports indicate that Madison's net worth was estimated to be around $1 million.