Mikey Madison (‘Anora’) would become 9th youngest Best Actress Oscar winner ever
Mikey Madison has the potential to make history at the 2025 Oscars in Best Actress with Neon’s “Anora.” At the age of 25, she is receiving universal praise for her portrayal of the title character, a Brooklyn stripper who gets into a whirlwind, impetuous marriage. Sean Baker‘s wild romantic dramedy is continuing to gain massive buzz since winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and Madison is currently headlined at the top of the combined odds at Gold Derby to win Best Actress. Should it occur, she would be the ninth youngest Best Actress Oscar winner and the first since over a decade ago.
Let’s take a look at each of the first eight ingenues ahead who achieved this milestone:
Marlee Matlin
Won at age 21 years and 218 days for “Children of a Lesser God” (1986) on March 30, 1987.
Jennifer Lawrence
Won at age 22 years and 193 days for “Silver Linings Playbook” (2012) on February 24, 2013.
Janet Gaynor
Won at age 22 years and 222 days for “7th Heaven” (1927), “Sunrise” (1927), and “Street Angel” (1928) on May 16, 1929.
Joan Fontaine
Won at age 24 years and 127 days for “Suspicion” (1941) on February 26, 1942.
Audrey Hepburn
Won at age 24 years and 325 days for “Roman Holiday” (1953) on March 25, 1954.
Jennifer Jones
Won at age 25 years for “The Song of Bernadette” (1943) on March 2, 1944.
Grace Kelly
Won at age 25 years and 138 days for “The Country Girl” (1954) on March 30, 1955.
Hilary Swank
Won at age 25 years and 240 days for “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999) on March 26, 2000.
If Madison were to prevail as many are predicting her to, she would edge out the current ninth placer Christie who won four days after turning 26 for “Darling” in 1966. As seen, most of these records were set in the early years of the Academy Awards, primarily in the 1940s and 1950s, until it took three decades before there were 13-year intervals between the latest three setters: Matlin (who still holds the record at age 21), Swank, and Lawrence, with the latter two the only wins in this century.
As it stands, Madison has an overwhelming lead in Gold Derby’s Oscar odds at 19/5 odds, and has the support of 16 Experts, seven Editors, 11 Top 24 Users, and 16 All-Star Users. Behind her is Karla Sofía Gascón (“Emilia Perez”) at 9/2, followed by Angelina Jolie (“Maria”) at 5/1, Nicole Kidman (“Babygirl”) at 17/2, Saoirse Ronan (“The Outrun”) at 11/1, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (“Hard Truths”) at 11/1.
Aside from that, “Anora” has a strong lead in Best Picture with 15/2 odds, indicating wide support for the film. That only betters Madison’s chances, as two of the last four Best Actress winners came from films that also claimed Best Picture: Michelle Yeoh for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (2022) and Frances McDormand for “Nomadland” (2020). So if that were to happen for “Anora,” it is hard to imagine that she would not come along for the ride.
Even with a nomination, Madison would be the fourth actress under the age of 26 to reap a bid in the last decade, joining Lawrence (“Joy”), Yalitza Aparicio (“Roma”), and Ronan (“Brooklyn,” “Lady Bird,” and “Little Women”), and should she win at the Oscars on March 2, she would be 25 years and 342 days old, just weeks before turning 26.
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