Anora, directed by Sean Baker, centers on Ani, a stripper and escort from New York’s Brighton Beach neighborhood, played by Mikey Madison. Ani’s life takes an unexpected turn when she becomes romantically involved with Vanya, the son of a Russian oligarch, leading to an impulsive marriage that challenges her understanding of love, class, and independence.
Baker’s storytelling continues his focus on the complexities of the sex industry, a recurring theme throughout his filmography. Anora captures the nuances of Ani’s journey with both humor and drama, set against the vibrant yet gritty backdrop of New York City’s underworld.
Director Sean Baker has built a career spotlighting marginalized communities, particularly within the sex industry, through films like Starlet, Tangerine, The Florida Project, and Red Rocket. For Anora, he draws again on stories from real sex workers, inspired by friendships and conversations with people in that world.
Baker has shared that these encounters revealed an array of untold stories that continue to shape his work. Although he did not set out to make sex work a constant theme, his commitment to portraying these perspectives has become a defining aspect of his filmmaking.
For Mikey Madison, starring in Anora marked an exciting opportunity to collaborate with Baker, whose film Tangerine she admired long before they met. Madison describes Baker as a director who values actors’ input and supports their creative process, allowing her to shape Ani’s character in ways that feel natural and genuine.
She emphasizes Baker’s openness to her ideas, which helped her develop Ani’s personality and bring depth to the role. Working with Baker allowed Madison to explore a unique character dynamic that challenged her as an actress.
Anora also delves into a specific part of the sex industry that Baker found underrepresented: modern escort work in gentlemen’s clubs. Inspired by the “dime-a-dance” halls of the past, Baker set out to explore the modern equivalent through Ani’s world, where customers pay for short, intimate experiences.
This research allowed Baker to present a fresh angle on the complexities of sex work, drawing historical parallels to present-day club culture. In this way, Anora examines the nuanced world of dancers and escorts, highlighting the historical echoes in today’s clubs that Baker found fascinating.
Madison’s portrayal of Ani brings a mix of resilience and vulnerability, capturing both the physical and emotional demands of Ani’s job. She notes the intense preparation required, from learning pole tricks to handling fight choreography, describing these aspects as some of the most challenging parts of her role.
Anora ultimately reflects Baker’s dedication to breaking down the stigma around sex work, showing it as labor-intensive and repetitive like any other job. Through Ani’s story, Baker aims to chip away at societal biases, adding both humor and humanity to a subject often stereotyped or ignored in mainstream cinema.
