Mikey Madisonis entering the New Year with yet another accolade: the National Board of Review’s Breakthrough Performance Award, which she received at their Awards Gala on January 7th. The actor’s performance in Sean Baker’s newest film,Anora, has continued to receive acclaim, as the 2024 film has topped numerous lists as one of the best films of the year. As Madison looks toward the future of her career, she has also revealed which directors she would like to work with next.
In an interview withIndieWireafter receiving the award mentioned above, Madison discussed which directors she would like to work with next. She said,“I love Alice Rohrwacher. I say her name a lot. I love Luca Guadagnino; I would just pass out.”Guadagnino has been receiving plenty of award attention of his own for two films he also released this past year:Challengersin April andQueerin December. As far as actor and director collaborations go, one between Madison and Guadagnino would undoubtedly be exciting.
Madison’s short filmography includes work with one other notable director,Quentin Tarantino. The actor played a small role in his ninth film,Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Beyond that, though, it seems that Madison’s career is just beginning to take off after her breakthrough role inAnora, making any future collaborations all the more exciting. Sean Baker’s work with Madison in the film displays the actor’s impressive range. From high-energy physical performances to somber and quieter moments in the film, it’s evident that she is more than capable of standing out in any project moving forward, especially with Guadagnino in the director’s chair.
Luca Guadagnino’s Next Films Could be Great Fits for Mikey Madison
This isn’t the first time Mikey Madison has spoken of Luca Guadagnino. A previous report byIndieWiredetailed how theAnoraactor met Guadagnino at a Deadline Contenders event in Los Angeles. When asked about the encounter, she said he had seen her newest film, saying,“I think he’s seenAnora. Yeah, he’s one of my favorite directors of all time. I think he’s a total visionary, so I was very excited to meet him. I think he’s incredible.”
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The director says he’s been chasing the grotesque yet meaningful image for 40 years.
Besides the two phenomenal films Guadagnino released this year, the director has had a varying and unique filmography. Films likeBones and All, an adaptation of the novel of the same name, andSuspiria, a reimagining of the 1977 Dario Argento classic with brilliant and terrifying new twists. The director has proven to be a master of varying genres, never repeating himself with whatever film he makes next. Having worked with talent such as Timothee Chalamet, Dakota Johnson, and Zendaya, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him work with Madison on a future project.
As it stands, Gudagnino has two projects in the pipeline:aSgt. Rockfilm for DC Studiosthat would reunite him with Daniel Craig and a remake ofAmerican Psychowith Austin Butler (althoughthe author of the original work has doubtsabout this). Seeing Madison in either of those projects would be interesting, though the actors' comments about the director and her aspirations to work with him mean that nothing is set in stone at this point.
Anora’s life takes a dramatic twist when she impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, catapulting her from the streets of Brooklyn to a world of opulence and scrutiny. As her new in-laws arrive with plans to dismantle the hasty union, Anora must navigate the cultural and social chasms between her past and her present. The film, directed by Sean Baker, masterfully blends sharp social commentary with heartfelt drama, painting a vivid picture of love, identity, and the unexpected consequences of a fairytale gone awry.
