Mikey Madison is dedicated to everything she does — so much so that in her audition for Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,”, she wrote a poem, made a painting and sewed a piece of hair into the painting’s canvas to impress him, “Because why the hell not?”

“I remember seeing his films for the first time and feeling like they changed my life,” Madison said. “I think he has that impact on a lot of people. I was very ballsy at (19) for whatever reason, and this is the one opportunity I might ever get to meet Quentin Tarantino, who was one of my heroes. I think he would appreciate it if I just had fun with this. He’s the kind of person who, when you meet him, you know he’s rooting for you.”

Madison, star of the Sean Baker film “Anora,” joined Dodge College of Film and Media Arts  students on Feb. 17 for a screening of the film and an interview for the Awards Chatter podcast. She has been receiving critical acclaim at every corner. The night before, she was in attendance at the British Academy for Film and Arts Awards (BAFTAs), where she won the award for Best Actress as Ani in “Anora.” 

While growing up in Los Angeles, it never felt like Hollywood was right in her backyard. Her grandmother was a horseback rider, so she naturally followed suit — getting homeschooled and honing her horseback riding craft. It was in her blood. She eventually turned to the world of filmmaking and acting — her mother and father introduced her to the classic John Hughes, Bond, young River Phoenix and Tarantino movies. Those got the ball rolling for her, and since then, there has been no other possible path for her other than being an actress.

“It’s never been an option,” said Madison. “Filmmaking and acting in films has always been my ultimate dream. I always felt like I needed to push towards that, like I had to chase it in some way, because if I didn’t, I think I would just be forever heartbroken that I didn’t try. When you have years where you don’t work, it’s really heartbreaking and depleting. But I don’t know really what I would do if I wasn’t making films in some capacity.”

Her first big break into the industry was landing the role of Max in the FX show “Better Things,” which follows a single mother and working actor trying to raise her three young daughters in Los Angeles. It was the first time Madison felt like the character she was auditioning for was similar to herself, that she could actually exist in the world of the show. 

“(‘Better Things’) ends up going for over the course of five seasons, over about seven years. It ended up being such a huge chunk of my career as an actor,” said Madison. “It’s where I got my start, where I learned the base for everything I know — work ethic, what it's like being on set, just developing the sort of simple skills as an actor.”

It was during the filming of that show that she landed the role of Susan Atkins in Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.” 

“I had this read with Quentin, and then he was like, ‘OK, now we’ll do a chemistry read downstairs.’ And I did a chemistry read with Brad Pitt. Then we went back to his office, and he offered me the role. I accepted. I was shocked. I cried,” Madison said.

It seems like the young stars of today’s Hollywood were all part of the Manson Family in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood: Austin Butler, Margaret Qualley, Sydney Sweeney, Maya Hawke and Victoria Pedretti. Being cast in a Tarantino film, by the man himself, was likely the jump start for all of their careers — even though most of them had been acting for a long time at that point. 

“I do think that because Quentin had cast me in a film, even if it was in a small role, it did in some way move the needle ever so slightly,” said Madison. “So that maybe directors would see me in a different way, or think, ‘If he worked with her maybe we could trust her on something else.’”

Baker watches everything in theaters. After “Once Upon A Time… in Hollywood,” Madison was cast as Amber Freeman in the fifth installment of the “Scream” franchise. Baker was there opening weekend. He and Samantha Quan, his producing partner and wife, decided right there in the theater that they would cast her in a film. Just a couple of days later, they reached out to Madison.

“I met him that very week, and he reached out to my agent and told her that he wanted to write a film for me,” Madison said. 

His films “The Florida Project” and “Tangerine” always had a special place in Madison’s heart — so it was a no-brainer that she wanted to work with him. Almost a year after their meeting, they were on set making “Anora.” 

“It’s a testament to his sort of creative genius, in a way, that he was able to see me in ‘Scream’ and ever think that I would be able to play a character like Ani in ‘Anora,’” said Madison. “I’m so grateful he did because no director had ever given me that opportunity before to play a character so completely different from me.”

There has been some awards season controversy about the absent intimacy coordinator on set, but throughout the interview — while not asked about the topic directly — Madison shared nothing but glowing stories about her trust in Baker and her experience on the project. 

“My character is a sex worker, and I knew from the beginning that her body and nudity and nakedness is a part of what she is doing for a living,” said Madison. “I’ve seen Sean’s previous films. I know how he has approached some of that subject matter, and he does it very honestly and respectfully. He doesn’t sensationalize it and doesn’t darkly dramatize it. He just shows it as it is.”

Madison continued: “For me, there was no hesitation, there was no nervousness. I did my research. I did my work. I talked to so many incredible people. I read memoirs. I shadowed dancers. I trained. It was work to me that never felt exposing in any way. The moments that felt quite exposing were the more private, emotional moments where she allows that vulnerability to shine through.”

When asked by a screen acting major what advice she would give to young actresses for navigating the new social climate of the industry, Madison said to always stay in the mindset of a student.

“Obviously, you are a student right now, but I think of myself as a student constantly,” said Madison. “I think if you keep yourself in a state of mind of always curiosity, I think you will grow into the actor that you’re meant to be. I think also just as an actor, as a creative, as a woman, your voice is very important. What you have to say deserves to be heard.”

Artur Nazaryan, an Armenian senior creative producing major born and raised in Russia, absolutely loved the film. He asked Madison how it was working with actors Yura Borisov and Mark Eydelshteyn, to which she shared that she could go on for hours talking about how much she loves the two of them. 

“They were just so witty and emotionally intelligent in a way that, I mean, you kind of have to be as an actor, but is also sometimes rare, which is a contradiction, but it’s true,” said Madison. “They come from a similar background, which is, like, Russian theater school, (Konstantin) Stanislavski, very diligent training. But then Mark and Yura are from different generations, so I am able to see the differences and who they are as people reflected from that.” 

The last question of the night, also from a screen acting major, asked how to deal with the heartbreak of the industry and the emotional journey of it all.

“I think that if you feel like you absolutely have to keep going on this path, that’s a sign that you should keep doing it,” said Madison in response. “We are all following a dream, and it's really hard. Try to make each audition a learning lesson. Each time you’re making a tape or working on sides, you’re growing a little bit as an actor. You’re learning a little bit more about yourself. That's what I would say, try to take away some sort of silver lining from that.”

Dodge College of Film and Media Arts Master Classes are available to all Chapman students and alumni. Seats are available either on a first-come, first-served basis or by lottery system, depending on the Master Class. Dates, times, upcoming guests and additional information can be found in the lobby of Marion Knott Studios or on the Dodge College Instagram account.