Mikey Madison is the latest in a line of actors dating back to Louise Brooks to win Oscars depicting the sex trade. Why this is, and whether it lessens the stigma of such work, is an open questionAnora emerged triumphant from last week’s Academy Awards presentation, winning five Oscars including best actress for Mikey Madison for her performance as Ani, a sex worker who elopes with the feckless son of a Russian oligarch, only to find herself at odds with his powerful family and their henchmen. As in his previous films, writer-director Sean Baker shows generosity and affection for the marginalised characters, and especially for its heroine. Even when she gets roughed up, it’s played for laughs and you’re confident she won’t meet one of the sad fates of screen sex workers of yore, such as Louise Brooks as Lulu, stabbed to death in Pandora’s Box, or Vivien Leigh as Myra, who throws herself under a lorry in Waterloo Road.Madison said in her acceptance speech, “I also just want to again ...
"Anora's" success, with Mikey Madison winning an Oscar for her portrayal of a sex worker, continues Hollywood's long-standing fascination with the subject, with 16 actresses having won Oscars for similar roles. While some view this as a positive step, others, like the East London Strippers Collective, feel it needs to go further, advocating for full decriminalization. The history of the Academy Awards demonstrates that Hollywood has frequently acknowledged sex work as a viable subject for film.