Demi Moore fans upset as Mikey Madison wins Best Actress at Oscars 2025 for 'Anora': 'Blatant robbery'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Mikey Madison just became Hollywood’s new "it girl."

The 25-year-old actress took home the Best Actress Oscar on Sunday, February 2, for her performance in 'Anora'—marking a massive milestone in her career after making a name for herself on TV.

'Anora' wasn’t just a win for Madison—it was the film of the night. The Brooklyn-set comedy-drama cleaned up at the Academy Awards, snagging five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Sean Baker.

Mikey Madison's surreal moment on stage

When Mikey Madison’s name was announced, the actress was visibly stunned, hugging Baker and her co-stars before making her way to the stage. “Wow, this is very surreal,” she said. Clutching her golden statuette, she took a deep breath before adding, “Forgive me, I’m nervous,” then read off a list of names from a piece of paper.

Before 'Anora' put her on Hollywood’s A-list, Madison was best known for her role as a moody teen in FX’s 'Better Things', which wrapped in 2022. She also appeared in 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood' and 'Scream 5'. But it was Baker who truly saw her potential, crafting the role of Anora specifically for her.

Madison went all in for this role. She learned Russian, did her own stunts, and even mastered pole dancing to play an exotic dancer who marries the son of a Russian oligarch.

She used her Oscars moment to shine the spotlight on an often-overlooked community. “I want to again recognize the sex worker community. I will continue to support and be an ally,” she declared onstage.

Madison’s Oscar win capped off an incredible journey for 'Anora', which first made waves at Cannes in 2024 as it took home the prestigious Palme d’Or. From there, it just kept gaining momentum as audiences turned out in droves to see it—easily making back its $6 million budget at the box office.

But let’s also talk about the snub heard around the world.

For months, it seemed like Hollywood legend Demi Moore had Best Actress in the bag for 'The Substance', especially after sweeping the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. But in a last-minute twist, Madison surged ahead and snatched the BAFTA just before Oscar voting closed and won big at the Independent Spirit Awards last weekend, per the Associated Press.

Demi Moore fans upset over Oscar snub

Fans of Demi Moore on social media were upset with the snub, with some even calling the loss a “blatant robbery.”

"Truly happy for Mikey Madison but Demi Moore was ROBBED. #Oscars," one posted on X.

"Look, OK….I Love Mickey Madison, but DEMI MOORE WAS ROBBED," another wrote.

"I saw both Demi's performance & Mikey's. Demi was definitely robbed," someone else insisted.

"I’m so shocked they didn’t see the irony of her role and how brave she was to bare her body & soul on film. A woman in her sixties, raw, with incredible strength & beauty. This is sad. #OscarsSuck #DemiMooreWasRobbed," read one comment.

"This is blatant robbery and genre bias……as if that girl gave a better performance than Demi, please," another fumed.

Backstage, Madison was still processing her big win. “It’s a huge honor, one that I think will soak in later down the line,” she admitted. “I really did not expect it at all.”

From horseback riding to Hollywood

Born Mikaela Madison Rosberg in Los Angeles, Madison grew up far from the glitz and glam of Hollywood despite being surrounded by it. She’s one of five children born to psychologist parents, and her acting journey started in her teens when her mom signed her up for classes after she grew tired of the isolation of competitive horseback riding.

“I grew up in Los Angeles, but Hollywood always felt so far away from me,” she reflected. “This is a dream come true. I’m probably going to wake up tomorrow.”

Clutching her Oscar backstage, she admitted she was still in shock. “My mind is all over the place, and my heart is about to explode right now,” she gushed.

With nine films under her belt since her 2017 debut in 'Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey', Madison’s career is well on its way. But she doesn't know what's next.

“I really don’t know what will happen in the future. I just really want to keep making movies,” she said. “Making this film gave me confidence as an actor and as a creative. It really inspired me and reinvigorated my love of cinema and reminded me of the kind of work that I want to do.”

For now, though, she’s keeping things low-key. “I’m going to go home to my new puppies and probably clean up their mess, and it’s going to bring me down to earth,” she said with a laugh.

Along with Madison and Moore, the Best Actress race featured a stacked lineup, including Cynthia Erivo for 'Wicked', Karla Sofía Gascon for 'Emilia Perez', and Fernanda Torres for 'I’m Still Here'.

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