Mikey Madison won Best Actress for 'Anora' at the 2025 Oscars, beating Cynthia Erivo, Karla Sofía Gascón, Demi Moore and Fernanda Torres. Madison shared how "cleaning up after her dogs" will help her process the surprising victory.

Demi Moore was the odds-on favorite, but the 25-year-old claimed the Academy Award in the night’s biggest surprise.

Hollywood veteran Demi Moore of “The Substance” had been the Oscar front-runner, having won over Madison at the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. However, Madison beat out Moore for the BAFTA two days before Oscar voting ended, as well as at last weekend’s Independent Spirit Awards.

“Anora” dominated the Oscar awards ceremony on Sunday night by winning five prizes including “Best Picture” as its lead “Mikey Madison” won the best actress prize while Adrien Brody took home the best acting honor for his role in “The Brutalist.”

Mikey Madison claimed her first Academy Award on Sunday, winning best actress for her role as a sex worker who marries the son of a Russian oligarch in the drama "Anora."

Since then, Madison wowed horror fans with her role in Scream V, catching the eye of acclaimed indie auteur Sean Baker. The Florida Project director reached out to her about his next project, which followed a Brooklyn sex worker named Anora through a tumultuous marriage with a young Russian heir.

Mikey Madison, 25, shocked the audience by becoming one of the youngest best actress winners in Academy history, over presumed front-runner Demi Moore.

By Lisa Richwine LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -"Anora," the story of a sex worker who gets a chance at a new life when she marries a wealthy client on a whim, won five Academy Awards on Sunday, including the coveted best picture Oscar.

Independent film Anora, whose producer is from Vancouver, racked up five wins at the Academy Awards on Sunday. Crystal Laderas from sex worker advocacy group SWAN Vancouver says the director of Anora's call for the decriminalization of sex work is a positive sign for workers in precarious situations.