Biography of Mikey Madison
Mikey Madison is an American actress who broke into Hollywood's elite circles after appearing in short films and series, landing a role in Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood." Her standout performance caught attention, and she soon portrayed the main character in the thriller "All Souls."However, the most significant professional milestone in Madison's career was her starring role in "Anora," which earned her about two dozen awards at various film festivals and is contending for the 2025 Oscars in several categories.
Childhood, Adolescence, Family
Mikaela Madison Rosberg (the actress's real name) was born on March 25, 1999, into a family of psychologists from Los Angeles. Her father specialized in treating schizophrenia patients, and her mother focused on child therapy.Her parents raised four other children along with her—two older sisters, her twin brother, and a younger brother. Three of Mikey's four grandparents were Jewish, and one grandmother, on her mother's side, was British.
Her heritage creates a rich tapestry: three-quarters of her lineage comes from Ashkenazi Jewish roots, spanning Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. The remaining quarter of her ancestry traces back to the British Isles, blending English and Scots-Irish bloodlines.
According to the actress, she rode horses from a young age and enjoyed watching movies with her father in the evenings. She liked films by Woody Allen, Quentin Tarantino, Sofia Coppola, Martin Scorsese.
Gradually, she began imagining herself as different heroines and would imitate their movements and speech in front of the mirror. When her older sister married a screenwriter and after watching the first "Hunger Games" movie, Mikaela immediately decided to become an actress and started going to auditions.
Her family was surprised because she had been a very shy girl during her school years. She needed a lot of mental preparation just to answer questions in front of the class.
Acting Career
Madison landed her first role in the short drama "Retirement" before scoring one of the central characters in FX's "Better Things," which premiered in 2016. The series follows Pamela Adlon's character Sam, a hapless single mother raising three daughters. Mikey played one of the daughters, Max. While working on "Better Things," Adlon gave her advice that stuck with the actress:Despite having no formal acting training, Mikey caught industry attention and soon landed a starring role in the romantic feature "Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey."She said: 'Don't take yourself too seriously.' And that really helped me. Because when you get into this industry basically as a child, you try to act very 'seriously' and 'professionally,' like all the adults around you. But you have to remember that you're a kid, and it's just play. Nothing more.
The film follows two California teenagers, 15-year-old Lisa and her boyfriend Brett, who embark on a motorcycle journey during the Cuban Missile Crisis to escape their problems. During their escape, they experience first love and coming of age as their personal story plays out against the backdrop of potential nuclear war between the USSR and USA. However, the film went largely unnoticed.
Things took a completely different turn for the young actress with Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood." Rumors circulated that the famous director planned to cast Jennifer Lawrence in the role of Susan Atkins (one of the members of the so-called "Manson Family"). Mikey wasn't expecting the call when Tarantino's team reached out to invite her to the shoot.
The actress hung on the master's every word and, despite her nerves, transformed into a possessed killer once the cameras rolled. Madison particularly shined in her character's fight scene with Brad Pitt's Cliff Booth and her fiery on-screen death at the hands of Leonardo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton.
In 2023, the actress successfully tackled the lead role of River, an undercover police informant infiltrating a drug cartel. The dramatic thriller about a woman fighting to save her family and clear her name was released as "All Souls." It earned lukewarm reviews from critics but found an interested audience.
Personal Life of Mikey Madison
The actress keeps her personal life tightly under wraps, fueling fan speculation. Some believe Mikey is gay and claim to have spotted her holding hands with a girl. Others think the actress has a boyfriend who values privacy, explaining why Madison keeps their relationship under wraps. It is known for certain that the actress is not married and does not have children.Mikey Madison Now
Sean Baker's drama "Anora" took the 2024 Cannes Film Festival by storm. Mikey stars as a Brooklyn stripper who falls for Russian Vanya, the son of oligarchs. Russian actor Mark Eidelstein plays the carefree hedonist who proposes to Anora after spending the night with her.
Interesting Facts
- During the shooting of "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Mikey Madison faced a strict ban from the director on using mobile phones on set. Anyone Quentin Tarantino caught with a device could be fired from the production.
- At the Cannes Festival screening of "Anora," the actors received a standing ovation for seven and a half minutes.
- The actress loves shopping at charity shops for everything she needs, but sometimes hits flea markets where she buys many unnecessary items.
- Among her favorite films, Mikey names "The Godfather," "Bumblebee," and "The King of Staten Island."
Important Events in Life
- 2013: Debuted in the short film "Retirement".
- 2016: Got a role in the series "Better Things".
- 2017: Played the lead role in the film "Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey".
- 2019: Appeared in the film "Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood".
- 2023: Played the lead role in the film "All Souls".
- 2024: Played the lead role in the film "Anora". The film received the "Palme d'Or" at the Cannes Film Festival.
